My Fiance, the Supervillain
by noncynic
Summary: Drakken finds a reason to seek greater respectability, while Kim wrestles with some demons, two of whom happen to be her brothers. Sequel to 'His Honor the Mayor, Drew Lipsky'
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible, any of the other characters from that show, or those from any other media I may reference in my stories.

**This is a story set in the 'His Honor' universe, and begins two and a half months, roughly, after the end of that story. Drew Lipsky is still Mayor of Middleton, and Kim Possible is still in therapy, though only monthly now. And this is by her choice.**

**She and Ron still have a 'Dream-Link' that allows them to literally share their dreams and nightmares, with Kim still possessing the control device to switch it on and off.**

**Bonnie has seriously mellowed out, but doesn't deny the possibility of 'Dark Bonnie'(Darth Bonnie?) returning. She's now actually treating Tara as a real 'best friend', rather then as a syncophant.**

**Shego is no longer green, and her powers are much 'smoother' in appearance. She's no longer going to therapy. She is still palling around with Bernadette Barr, Kim's one-time babysitter(and Ron's, Bonnie's. Etc.) and current school nurse at Middleton High. Shego went a long time without having a real friend her own age, and is enjoying the experience again. She is still frustrated as to what role some kind of 'behavior control' that was used on her influenced her life path.**

**Kim is currently on the outs with Global Justice, and her scope of operations has been diminished, since she no longer feels it's safe for the rides Wade arranges for her to carry her some places. It bothers her, but she has just cause to doubt GJ. And Doctor Director can't tell her the whole truth, and isn't sure it would, or should matter to Kim even if she could.**

**So, on with our story. As I've said before, in my universe(s), the TV episodes are stories written by Ron Stoppable based on 'real' missions, but altered for content, and occasionally made up out of whole cloth. This naturally gives me the option of completely ignoring some stories that were, um...better not go there. I do try to include elements of all of them, but I just can't come up with a 'realistic', relatively speaking, version.**

**Hopefully, this story will remain under my control, and not run away from me. I know I have many doubters out there, and they have every right. I mean, look how far I've gone with just this part!**

It was Mid-March. Somewhere, Spring was springing. But in Middleton, Colorado, there was three inches of snow on the ground, and more falling.

In the Possible house, the three male members of the family sat around the kitchen table, James Possible reading his morning newspaper while his sons noisily disposed of their breakfast. A crutch leaned against the table next to him. Kim Possible meanwhile was pacing back and forth as she talked to her best friend on the phone.

"Listen Mon, the trunk's insulated, we can stick the Tweebs back there and you can have the back seat." Kim ignored the dual 'Heys!' from her siblings, but she couldn't ignore her father's voice. "Kimmie-cub, let's not hear any more of that! The trunk may be insulated, but it has poor air circulation, they might suffer from oxygen deprivation."

Kim made a face at her brothers, "Well, maybe we can tow them behind the Sloth on a sled, or skis...Eep!" She had begun sarcastically, but then stopped as she saw the widening grins on their faces.

"No skiing on public roads, boys!" Anne Possible stated firmly as she swept into the kitchen. She chose to ignore the stereo 'Aw, Mom!' that came from her sons as she bent to kiss her husband on the cheek. "How's the knee feeling, Dear?"

James grimaced and moved his leg slightly. "Still very painful. I guess I'll have to accept that I'm not as young as I used to be."

"You're lucky you didn't tear something, Jim! And as to being older, you never were very good at slam-dunking, Dear!" a poured cup of coffee now in her hand, she bent to whisper in his ear, "At least not on the basketball court!"

Kim had no idea what caused her father to snap his newspaper up to conceal his face, and was fairly sure she'd be weirded out if she did, so she turned her back and continued talking to Monique. "Well, I don't intend to ruin our friendship by having you sit in the back with the Tweebs...I could ask Ron to, but the last time I did, he pouted for two days."

"No worries, Girlfriend!" Monique replied, "I'll call Bonnie up and see if she can swing by. She's already going to be giving Tara a lift...Oh! I'd better call her now, and catch her at home before she leaves, no way I want to have her trying to use her cell while driving in this weather. And by the way, why _are_ we going to school in this? No snow days left to use up?"

"No idea, Mon, but that could just be it! I'm not happy about it, either, but I do need the days, with all the ones I missed while trying to get my head straight, and heal my shoulder." Kim flinched as her brothers both rose from the table and dashed past her.

"You're worried about days? Kim, you're a straight 'A' student, I think you can be forgiven if you take one too many days off. Besides, if we take another snow day now, they'll just have us make it up in June, anyway!"

Kim sighed. "Mon, the rules say if you miss too many days, you fail the year, I don't want an exception made for me." She looked at the wall clock. "Got to go, I need to get my stuff together and get the Tweebs loaded. Then go pick up Ron. Knowing him, he'll be out at the sidewalk far too early, and three-quarters frozen by the time I arrive."

"Or still in bed, maybe?" Monique quipped. Kim shook her head, grinning, even though Monique couldn't see her. "Got to call Bonnie, Kim, see you at school!"

"'Kay, Bye, Mon!" Kim put her phone away and dashed over to plant a kiss on her father's cheek. "Hope your leg feels better, Dad!" She did the same for her mother. "Bye Mom, hope you have a good day at work."

Anne looked out the window critically. "I'm on call to help in the ER if they get slammed, and the weather might lead to that." Then she frowned. "In fact, I wonder if it's wise to have school at all today?"

James looked out the window as well. "Hmm, what does the forecast say?"

Kim shrugged. "They say it might not stop until this afternoon, or even early evening. But there's no word on cancellations yet." She gave them a smile. "But don't worry, I'll get the Tweebs to school safely!"

"And home again?" Anne asked her, tongue-in-cheek.

Kim shrugged. "Only if you insist..later!" She left the kitchen calling for the Tweebs to get their backsides in gear. After she was gone, Anne turned to James, a concerned look on her face. "Who makes the call these days, as far as canceling school? Jean Stoppable isn't filling in as acting School Superintendent anymore, is she?"

Her husband shook his head. "No, I'm fairly sure they found another interim Superintendent until Steve Barkin decides whether to take the job."

Putting her used coffee cup in the dishwasher, Anne shook her head. "Well, I can't say I think much of his or her judgment, that's all I can say." She gave her husband a kiss and a stern look. "Now you be careful on that knee, Jim, I don't want to see you wheeled into the ER, you hear?"

James gave her a hearty grin. "Oh, no worries, Darling! I'll be fine, I'm more worried about you driving in this weather! _You _take care, and come back home safely!"

Several minutes after Anne left, a steady beeping noise caused James to scowl. It was coming from a small wall mounted console. Sighing, he got up and used his crutch to reach the console, where he stared at it for a moment, trying to recall exactly how his sons had wired it up. Then a faint humming noise, steadily increasing in volume, caused him to turn and peer out the back window. Where he was rewarded with the sight of one of Doctor Drakken's hovercraft, a small covered model, descending to land in his backyard.

Curiosity aroused, he headed to the back door and opened it just as Drew Lipsky reached it from the other side. "Well, Mister Mayor, to what do I owe the honor?"

"James.." Drakken responded as he stamped snow off his boots before entering.

He looked around the kitchen then up at the ceiling as he entered. "Nice repair work, I must say, no evidence at all of my last visit." He commented. He was referring to being shot down by WWEE on New Year's, and crashing into the roof of the Possible home. He had been protected by a force field, but the one for Shego's seat had malfunctioned, and she had been severely injured, something Drakken was still guilty about.

"Ah, yes, the contractors worked wonders." James responded cheerfully. He gestured for Drew to take a seat. "Coffee? I know you prefer hot chocolate, but all we had seemed to vanish the last two days. The boys, you know?"

"No, no, don't bother." Drakken replied as he took the offered seat. "You should probably get off that leg, and I had my fill before leaving the lair. Whatever did you do to yourself?"

James sank down into his own seat, blushing faintly. "Basketball." Was all he said in reply.

Drakken's eyebrows rose. "Again? I would have thought you got that out of your system at M.I.S.T.!"

James chuckled a little self-consciously. "Well, you know, trying to regain our youth and all that." He picked up his coffee cup to take a sip. "Now what did you want to talk about?"

Drakken gave him a wary look. "First, I'm going to have to insist you put your coffee down, James."

James eyebrows rose. "Oh? All right." He put his cup down. "Okay, go ahead."

Now Drakken looked nervous, licking his lips and casting a brief glance out the back window as if considering flight. "James...James, I'm going to be a father."

After a brief period of silence, Drakken's stomach growled. "Ah, well, while you're digesting that, I'll make myself some breakfast."

Some ten minutes later, the sound of the front door opening caused Drakken to look up from the stove. The sound of running feet charging up the stairs along with an excited babble told him that the twins were home. Moments later, Kim appeared in the doorway. And her jaw dropped. "Drakken! What are you doing making scrambled eggs in our kitchen, and what did you do to my Dad!"

Fluffing the eggs(And wearing an apron belonging to Ann), Drakken shrugged. "Oh, that's just a case of brain-freeze. The good news is, a transplant probably won't be necessary." He looked back over his shoulder at her. "Now that I think of it, why were you out at all? Wasn't school canceled?"

Leaning to peer into her father eyes, Kim shrugged. "Yeah, but we were halfway there when the announcement came over the radio."

"Hmmm, I'll have to look into that, the weather forecast clearly indicated heavy snowfall." He turned from the stove with his breakfast plated, and took a seat at the table. He peered curiously at James. "Hmm, this is a long one. Last time I saw him like this was when Ann told him you were on the way."

Kim nodded. "I vaguely remember something like this at the hospital when the doctors told him Mom had had twins. Then Nana took me out for ice cream to help get over my disappointment that they were both boys. So happy when they told me what 'twins' meant, then the crash." She looked curiously at Drakken "You were still friends then?"

"Not as such, no." Drakken replied, "But, we were still in touch, and I think he tried to rebuild the friendship. That was before.." he indicated his face, which was a light shade of blue, indicating that he hadn't gotten any sun lately.

"I've always wanted to ask whether you're still trying to find a cure for that." Kim asked as she rose and headed for the fridge.

Drakken scowled. "Not in some time, I thought it went well with my 'villainous' persona, and really didn't have time for it. Or so I told myself." He saw Kim taking a bottle of juice out. "May I have some of that to wash this down, Kimberly?"

Kim shrugged. "Sure." She took out two glasses out and filled them two-thirds full, then returned the bottle to the fridge. She put one glass in front of Drakken, who nodded gratefully, then resumed her own seat. "What exactly did you tell Dad, that caused this?"

"Ah, well, first I'm going to have to insist you put your juice down." But before a puzzled Kim could comply, her wrist Kimmunicator went off. She activated it. "What up, Wade?"

"Kim! There's been a terrible accident in the mountains! A bus carrying part of a college ski team slid off the road into a ravine! The road below has been partially blocked by a snow slide, and the weather is too bad for a helicopter to get up there!"

Kim had shot to her feet. "Do you have a way to get me and Ron there?"

Wade suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Um, the only thing I can thing that would work is a GJ aircraft." He winced a little as he awaited Kim's reaction.

Kim grimaced. Then she began to nod, before Drakken spoke up. "That's not exactly true, Kimberly. I can fly you up there." Kim vaguely noticed Wade's shocked look on the little view screen as she thought about it. Very briefly. "Wade, call Ron, tell him to get his gear on, I—we're on our way!" She signed off, and turned to dash from the kitchen. "Give me ten minutes!" She shouted back.

Drakken resumed eating, and managed to finish up just as the girl ran back into the room, downed her juice in one long pull, and nodded at him. "Ready!"

The pair headed out the back door, and silence reigned within the kitchen for a few moments. The sounds of the Tweebs storming down the steps and out the front door were still echoing through the house when the silence was finally broken.

"You're going to be a WHAT?"

X00X0XX00X00X0XX00

A very disgruntled Bernadette Barr trudged up the steps of her new home, a condo on the West side of Middleton. She'd moved out of the guest house on her family's estate, having spent her last night there the previous night. After dropping off the last of her belongings that morning, she'd gone on to school to be ready before the first bell rang. She too had been surprised that school hadn't been canceled earlier, in fact the day before.

Now she unlocked her door and stepped into her house after wiping her boots off on the mat, and took a deep, cleansing breath...and smelled coffee. She blinked in confusion for a moment, then a knowing look came to her face. "Shego! I haven't even slept a night in my new home, and you've already broken into it?"

"Meh! You break a house in your way, I break it in mine!" Came the reply from her kitchen. Bernie followed the voice, and beheld the woman decked out in one of Bernie's robes, with a major case of bed head. "Oh, terrific! You've even slept here before me!"

Shego fixed her with a bleary eye. "Thought you were moving in yesterday, I showed up with a housewarming present. When you weren't here, I was too wiped out to fly back to the lair, sorry."

"Are you okay?" Bernie had removed her gloves, and now stepped up and felt Shego's forehead. The woman recoiled slightly, but Bernie kept her hand pressed to her. "You're a little warm, even for you." She noted worriedly. Then she scowled suspiciously, "By any chance would it have anything to do with the aforementioned 'housewarming present'?"

Shego seemed to cringe a bit. "Yeah, well, I had a few things to forget about my trip, and no one to talk to, so..." she shrugged.

"You could have called.._would_ have called, if you really wanted to talk, Shego." Bernie replied bluntly. "So, what about your trip don't you want to think about, or talk about?"

Shego delayed her reply as she filled her coffee cup, then turned to face her friend. Her robe wasn't tightly belted, and something drew Bernie's eye even as Shego responded. "Can't really discuss it, I signed a paper, or bunch of papers promising not to." Then she noticed where Bernie was looking, but willfully decided not to react.

Bernie met her gaze. "But whatever it was led to you getting beat up?"

Shego snorted. "This? This is _not_ beat up! This hardly calls for notice, in my opinion."

"Really?" Bernie crossed her arms. "Prove it, show me what you don't think is 'beaten up'."

Shego's smirk vanished, and she stood there for a minute, uncertain. Then a mild look of belligerence crossed her face. "My ribs are fine, fully healed! I just bruised...fine, look!" She shrugged the robe off. "See, I''m fine!" There was a fist sized bruise below her right collarbone, the edge of which had been visible before, and a smaller one high on her right arm. But Bernie didn't take her eyes off Shego's face.

"Not hardly. Turn around." Shego glowered for a moment, then relented, turning around. Bernie's eyes widened. "Okay, _that_ is a stab wound, or I've never seen one!" She moved closer to look at the still very visible wound. "And it had to have come damn close to your kidney!"

Shego responded in a subdued voice. "I'm fine, Bernie, it's healed. Enough for me to fly home, anyway." Bernie scooped up the robe and put it over the other woman's shoulders. "Is that your opinion, or the doctor's?" she asked gently.

Drawing the robe around her shoulders, Shego replied "I know how my body works, better then any doctor over there, I repeat, I'm fine."

"Your fever makes me doubt that just a bit. I think you should go back to bed, get more rest." She leaned on the kitchen counter, arms crossed again, and regarded her friend with concern. "I mean it, Shego. Was whatever you got from this trip worth it?"

Shego smiled faintly. "A full pardon for all crimes committed in the British Isles and all Dominions of Her Britannic Majesty's Government? I think it may have been."

Bernie's eyes widened. She had pretty much assumed it had been something illegal, and felt immediately ashamed. "Wh—what did you have to do for that? Was it something major, or did you just not have any serious crimes there?"

That actually caused Shego to chuckle. "'Serious'? Yeah, I did some serious stuff there!" She looked at Bernie seriously for just a moment. "However, for the record, I did _not_ ever take a shot at the Crown Jewels! They have a very serious attitude regarding those, and I didn't want the heat that would have brought down on me! As to what I had to do...well, like I said, can't go into details...let's leave it at this, I had to do something I loathed, play the bait."

Bernie scowled, thinking. Then she nodded. "Let me guess, for one of the people who were hunting you when you were incapacitated, and we spent those two weeks with the Seniors, hiding from them?"

Shego hid her surprise at the accurate deduction well. "And working on our tans, of course!" She responded glibly. Then she frowned and looked at her arms. "Lost most of mine, though, seems to fade quicker then it should. Definitely need to schedule another hop to the islands soon. Want to come, or are you likely to get canned if you miss more time?"

Bernie smiled and shook her head. "Actually, no. To getting canned, that is. In fact, Loretta Load wants me to consider giving up my job to the woman she found to fill in while I was gone. Old friend, took nearly a decade off to concentrate on raising her kids, Loretta got her back in the game, and she liked it. Still talking about the details, though. And it's not like I need the money that badly, after all."

Shego nodded in understanding, then a curious look appeared. "Who is richer, your dad, or Paisley? They're the top two money people in the Tri-Cities now, right?"

Bernie nodded. "Now, yes. After Mister Johansen died. Not sure who's richer, Paisley Pickles took a major hit after the German Gherkin scandal, and lost some revenue, but he had a good lead before that. You know, once upon a time, it was the Rockwaller and Geary families on top."

"Really? What hap-" Shego was interrupted suddenly by the sound of 'These Boots are Made for Walking' coming faintly down the stairs. "Ah, that's my cell, hang on!" Shego set her coffee down and headed upstairs. Bernie, moving to the bottom of the steps, soon heard her end of the conversation as she answered the call. "Hello? Oh, hi, Doctor D, just got back...no, not at the lair, but I can buzz over there real fast...yeah, it's up and running, last I knew..." Bernie had started up the stairs as soon as Shego mentioned going out. "Yeah, I'll get it, and be right there!"

Bernie entered the bedroom as Shego scooped her discarded clothes off the floor. "You're going to wear those? Where's your luggage?" The nurse asked as she headed for her closet.

"In my hovercraft, hadn't meant to spend the night." Shego replied as she stepped into her underwear. She seemed to have shaken off whatever ill effects she'd been feeling, but Bernie doubted her fever had simply gone away.

"Well, you'll need something warmer to wear then that, try these, they should fit!" Bernie tossed Shego a pair of jeans and a padded flannel shirt. The thief caught them, hesitated as if about to protest, then shrugged and began pulling them on. Bernie meanwhile grabbed a pair of hiking boots from the closet floor.

"I won't need those..." Shego started to say, then stopped and frowned as Bernie sat on the bed and began taking her current footwear off. "What do you think you're doing?"

Bernie gave her a look that brooked no arguments. "Unless Doctor Drakken has gone back to evil and you're helping him with some diabolical plot, I'm coming with you, you need looking after!"

0X0XX00XX000XX0XX00X

Doctor Drakken had flown an enclosed two-seat model hovercraft that morning, so things were a bit cramped on the way to the mountains. There was some space behind the seats, and Ron was crammed into it, though Kim had offered to take the spot since she was smaller and more limber. Ron had of course refused, and now sat crossways in the space, trying to find things in the backpack he was half sitting on.

Kim's backpack was on the floor at her feet, while her climbing helmet was in her lap. She had just finished fixing a luminous ring to it, and was now affixing a small headlamp as well. Drakken was concentrating on his instruments, since visibility was very poor.

"I still think...where'd this come from? I still think we might consider the offer from that newslady, KP." Ron commented. "I mean, showing them around the Upperton lair on camera isn't such a bad idea, and we'll get paid for it...Um, Doctor Drakken, is there a window I can open back here? Found something I mislaid on the last mission."

Kim's nose wrinkled as Drakken replied "That would be littering, Ronald. You should...oh, that is rank! Very well." He pushed a button on the console and a blast of cold air ran through the vehicle for a moment. "All gone!" Ron announced, and Drakken pushed the button again, closing the small port.

Without taking his attention from his flying, Drakken asked,"I hate to mention it, but would that be a souvenir from your little Caribbean adventure?"

"Yep!" Ron answered first, "A jerked-chicken Naco! Had to substitute on a few ingredients, but the one I ate was fantastic! Wish I hadn't forgotten the one I brought back for Ned to try, though..."

Kim rolled her eyes, then turned to Drakken. "No point in you not mentioning it, our little debacle has been all over WhoTube!, after all."

"Yes, rather excessively so." Drakken replied dryly. "Not to mention Summer Gale doing a recap of it every time she mentions you in a story now. You save those school children in Mississippi, she has to mention how she hopes it's helping you forget your humiliation. You stop Eddie from breaking his gang out of prison, she has to say at least there's one villain you managed to hang on to. The woman is insufferable!"

Kim wasn't sure how to reply, she still wasn't used to Drakken 'defending' her, so to speak. But Ron, having finally located the lamp for his helmet, cut in. "And now she's going to write Adrena Lynn's 'story' if she gets paroled next month. Besides, it wasn't Kim's fault that mission was a bust, it was all mine."

Kim sighed in exasperation, this wasn't even close to the first time she'd heard this. "Ron, you didn't know the microphone in the DJ's booth was live!"

"Yeah, but it was a ferociously bad idea to tell an island full of Carnival goers in costume that there were a thousand microbombs disguised as costume beads in circulation! And when you said we had the detonator, so everything was all right, what did I say? 'But Kim, what if he has a back-up detonator?'!"

"And the beads went flying..." Kim muttered. "And the bombs were only nuisance devices, they wouldn't have hurt as much as a wasp sting." She explained to Drakken. "Besides, I bet half those people weren't scared of the bombs, they just liked having the excuse to get naked, or nearly so!"

"Just half?" Drakken quipped with a raised eyebrow. "And you still have no clue who this 'Griefmeister' is?"

Kim shook her head. "Other then the fact he has a lot of money to spend on these pranks of his, likes to spoil people's fun, especially on holidays, and he's pretty agile, nothing! Oh, and major religious holidays and the Fourth of July are off-limits, or so he claims. And he said he doesn't do New Year's since few people would be sober enough to remember things afterwards." She shook her head. "I was _so_ close to getting him!" An angry look began to take over her face.

Ron decided it was time to change the subject. "How are things down at the Mayor's office, Doctor D?"

"Oh, they're talking about the Tri-Cities Trauma Center, even though ground won't be broken on that for another year. And preserving the 'Battle of Middleton' monument. Councilman Hoard is giving me grief because I agreed with the proposed site of the Trauma Center, which isn't within Middleton's city limits. He seems to think I'm some kind of traitor for not fighting to have it located where we can claim it as our own, so to speak."

Kim nodded. "They already asked Mom if she was interested in running it, but she turned them down. She's a neurosugeon, and not a great administrator." Kim smiled, "Or so she told them! Anyway, she thinks they only want her for her name value."

"Battle of Middleton?" Came from a puzzled Ron, "When did they have a battle in Middleton, and what monument?"

Kim twisted in her seat to fix him with a puzzled stare. "Ron, that little cement plinth with the brass plaque on it in the park? The one you stood on top of once, thinking it would let you fly your kite higher then Walter Nelson?"

Ron's face went blank for a moment, then a smile spread on his face. "Ah, gotcha, KP! Forgot about that...heh, that was when you got so mad at me, you kissed Walter, and..."

Kim waved her hand dismissively. "Right! Let's just forget the subject came up, and get our game face on, Ron."

"If you want to know more about the battle, Ronald, ask Steve Barkin." Drakken advised, "His family, along with the Gearys and the Rockwallers, had a personal stake in the so-called 'battle'." As he said this, he reached under the dashboard, and released a fold-down screen, which lit up as it locked into place. Kim leaned close to peer at it. "FLIR?" She asked.

"Enhanced FLIR, actually." Drakken replied. "Those must be the emergency vehicles, held up at the snow slide. And that looks like another bus, above the slide."

"There were two buses." The voice of Wade Load came from somewhere. "The first one was full, with the rest of the people and the gear in the second. The people in the first bus didn't see the accident, and didn't realize anything was wrong until they had been stopped by the slide. Some of them tried using cellphones to call friends in the second bus, no responses, that's when they notified the State Patrol." Drakken looked about, briefly disconcerted, then shook his head.

"Wade, did you hack Doctor Drakken's communications system?" Kim asked in a mildly annoyed tone. Normally, of course, she wouldn't be the least bit tweaked, but it seemed a bit rude at the moment.

"Yep!" Wade replied unabashedly, "Can't seem to break the habit!"

"There appear to be some people hiking up the road, Kimberly, probably from the first bus, going to try and help. Doesn't seem likely anyone got around that slide, even on foot. But how do we spot the actual accident site from up here?"

Kim suddenly pointed at the screen. "There's a vehicle parked at that bend in the road, that's a good bet." Drakken nodded and steered that way. Down between the mountains, visibility began to improve a bit. "There's a very faint heat source down there in the ravine, that must be it!" Kim declared.

"I hope it's more then just the bus's engine." Drakken muttered. They were descending directly towards the source when Drakken suddenly brought the craft to a sudden halt, muttering a curse under his breath. "Trees too thick right there, and it looks like telephone or power lines running up the canyon are in the way as well!" Kim nodded, she could just make out the towers carrying the lines in question on the FLIR. "Put us down on the road, then, we'll rappel down." She said.

A small cluster of college students bundled against the cold looked up as the hovercraft descended. Kim was not happy to note that the vehicle they'd seen was an SUV belonging apparently to a TV news service, as there was a camera crew and a reporter standing next to it. They blocked the logo on the SUV's side, so Kim couldn't tell who they were. _"I just hope they know well enough to stay out of the way, but how likely is that?" _But in fact, these people were to surprise her.

The first surprise was when she recognized the tall reporter. "Samantha Leo?" She asked Ron quizzically as she helped him struggle out of the back of the hovercraft. Samantha Leo was the mother of Gina Leo, a freshman at Middleton High that one of Kim's brothers just might have taken an interest in. She was also a former professional volleyball player, both indoor and beach varieties.

"Huh?" Ron looked to see what Kim was talking about, and just missed losing his balance and falling to the road. "Oh, yeah, she's working for a cable news network, can't remember the name...maybe she was covering the ski competition?"

Kim nodded as she snugged the straps on her backpack. "That's probably it." She set off towards the obvious gap in the guardrail, where most of the students were clustered. They regarded her with a variety of emotions, hope being prominent. Though she was embarrassed to note some awe as well.

They stepped aside to let her up to the gap, and she peered into the gloom below. It was a steep incline, not a vertical drop, she noted, which raised some hope. If the bus had fallen all the way to the bottom, then there was no chance anyone had survived. But she couldn't see the vehicle, either, though she could see where it had sideswiped one or two trees on the way down, removing large swathes of bark from them.

Kim shifted to mission mode. "Okay, Ron, let's get the ropes anchored and the rest set up, I'll go down first."

"No chance we can get down there in the hovercraft?" Ron asked hopefully, even as he began to follow Kim's instructions. His girlfriend shook her head. "Too many trees, Ron, and then there's those power lines." She pointed upwards where the cables passed through the upper branches of the trees highest on the slope they intended to descend.

"Kim." Kim turned to find Samantha Leo behind her, "Do you want to anchor your lines to our car? We can park it closer to the break in the rail and make it closer then anything else you could use." Kim noticed with some surprise that Samantha's cameraman stood back by their vehicle, a good ten yards away, rather then being right at her shoulder. The girl nodded. "Please and Thank You, Ma'am." Samantha nodded and hurried back to talk to her crew.

Once the vehicle was in place, and Kim had discussed whatever help the students who had returned to the crash site might render, and the two teens had double-checked each other's harness and gear, Kim began her descent. The slope was steep, but not steep enough not to have accumulated a fair depth of snow, making footing treacherous. A great deal had been displaced by the bus's passage, but not enough to make Kim less apprehensive.

At least as far as she could see, the bus had managed to stay on it's wheels, but beyond the curvature of the slope she suspected it had overturned, if not tumbled, the rest of the way to the bottom. _"Unless it hit a tree stout enough to stop it, that's one hope." _She thought. Then there seemed to be a whisper in the back of her head, _"They're all dead."_ She frowned, shaking her head, then continued downwards.

As she reached the farthest point visible from the top, she saw a smaller tree, broken and bent, with much of the bark on the upwards side stripped off. The bus had probably hit it square and snapped it, but not cleanly, then ridden over it, certainly lifting the front of the bus clear of the slope. And when it had cleared the tree...Kim fervently hoped it hadn't managed to tumble end-over-end, though that was unlikely. _"They're all dead."_ The whisper came again, and she shuddered. Where was that coming from? _Why _was she thinking it? It might be true, but such a thought had never occurred in her mind in such a manner.

Another thirty feet, and she saw the bus. It lay on it's side at the bottom, broadside to the slope. With the snow still swirling past her, she couldn't make out whether there was smoke rising from it. Several but not all of the window frames on the upwards side were empty. And there was no movement._ "They're all dead." _It didn't seem to be a whisper this time, it sounded a bit louder in her brain. She set her jaw, and continued down.

It then occurred to her that she wasn't letting anyone above know what she'd found. Her helmet had a built-in microphone, and she muttered a mild curse for forgetting. "Ron, Wade, I see the bus. It's in one piece, laying on it's side about forty to fifty feet farther down. No movement. It's not a vertical drop, so the impact may not have been too severe." Both of her friends acknowledged, then she was surprised by another voice, Doctor Drakken's.

"Understood, Kimberly. Shego should be here in about twenty minutes with a larger hovercraft, capable of accommodating stretcher cases. We also have word that the rescue crews may get here in as little as thirty more minutes." Then he added, "You're not the only one capable of hacking someone else's communications, young Load!"

Kim smiled briefly as she thought of the expression Wade probably had on his face right then, but immediately the smile gave way to grim resolve as she started the last part of her descent. _"They're all dead." _"Stop it!" she snapped, then blushed as she realized she'd spoken aloud, if only in a fierce whisper._ "Great! Now I'm talking back to myself! Maybe I should ask if Shego's bringing a straitjacket with her!" _She shook that macabre thought off as she reached a point just short of the bus. It wasn't a school bus, but a big rental of the kind used for large tour groups.

There was a little dull heat radiating from the vehicle, most likely solely from it's engine. She looked for an easy way to get atop the vehicle, but it was obvious she'd have to climb up, or enter through the windshield or rear. She disconnected her climbing rope. If she had to enter from the top, she'd use a shorter line. She then circled towards the front of the bus.

The snow was deeper at the front, and she saw that the windshield had indeed been shattered. She carefully stepped inside, turning her headlamp on. She saw the driver's body, huddled on top of the front door, and knelt to take his pulse. Nothing. _"They're all dead." _This time the words seemed to echo in her mind.

There were three people piled on top of each other in the first set of seats, which she had to clamber over a partition to get to, which separated the front passenger seat from the stairwell to the door. It took an effort, but she managed to check all three. Nothing again. _"They're all dead."_ She literally growled this time, and moved on. She faintly heard noises caused by Ron reaching the bottom of the slope.

"_He doesn't need to see this." _she thought. She called out to him. "Ron, hold position by the climbing ropes until I locate any survivors, 'kay?"

He didn't question her. "Got ya, KP." Kim took a deep breath and proceeded. She checked seven more people by the time she reached the midpoint of the bus, the insidious thoughts continue to sound in her head. She was beginning to breath in shallow gasps that had nothing to do with exertion, and a blank expression began to appear in her eyes.

After the next two corpses, she abruptly noticed that there was blood on her hands, having had to remove her gloves to check for vital signs. It was tacky, and she suddenly stopped and stared at it, and her gaze seemed to grow farther and farther away.

"_They're all Dead..."_

0X00XXX000X00X00XX000XXX00

**Well, that's the start. Heck of a place to leave Kim, but...**

**Please Read and Review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kim Possible, any of the other characters from that show, or those from any other media I may reference in my stories.

Thanks to Screaming Phoenix, BlazeStryker, MaceEcam, King in Yellow, Katsumara, Reader101w, and Michael Howard for their reviews and comments.

* * *

"How long until we get there?" Bernie asked Shego as she peered out the windshield of the hovercraft.

Shego checked something on the instrument panel. "About nine minutes." She pointed to her headphones. "Sorry not to have two pair, but Doc used one for an experiment, and I forgot to replace them. The speaker, too. Kim's made it down to the bus. But Doc doesn't hold out much hope for survivors."

Bernie's face went blank a moment, then she snarled out an oath. One she'd heard from a thirty-year CPO while in the Navy. Shego actually recoiled slightly, startled, and looked at her friend with bemusement. "What?"

"A bus possibly full of dead people, and Kim's the first one there? Can you see where that can turn _real_ ugly?" Shego's face froze for a second, then she demonstrated to Bernie that she'd picked up some colorful phrases in her travels as well. She peered scowling at her instruments. "We're flying as fast as we can, I'd better mention this to Doc, and ask why the hell it didn't occur...what the?"

Outside the speeding craft, it had become suddenly brighter, but the light had an odd bluish cast to it, and seemed to be coming from above them. Shego hit a button on the console, and a panel slid back to expose a window in the roof. Both of them looked up through it, and their jaws dropped.

"You have got to be kid..." Shego began, then things went abruptly black.

0000000000

Something moved...

Two emerald eyes suddenly locked on to the movement, the focus that had been fading from them coming back with a vengeance...

"I have a survivor." Ron's head snapped around from where he was securing their climbing ropes at the sound of Kim's voice. "Possibly two." The thrill coursing through him at the words kept him from noticing that the announcements lacked excitement. Had he thought about it, they were way too low-key for Kim, even if she had been trying to be low-key.

"You want me in there, KP?" he responded enthusiastically.

He had to wait a moment for the reply. "No, Ron. I want you to come around to the other side, we may have to cut away part of the roof to get these people out."

"Right, KP!"

Drakken now cut in. "Kimberly, the rescue squad has gotten past the drift, you'll have more help very shortly."

"Good." Came the response. "Wade, can you patch me through to the hospital the survivors will be evacuated to, so I can give them some information about their condition? And the rescue squad too, if possible."

"I'm on it!" Came the quick reply. In less then two minutes, he was back. "Got both of them on the line, Kim, go ahead!"

Before Kim could speak, a male voice spoke up on the connection. "Now, Miss Possible, I want you to remain calm, and tell me what you can about the victims, and try to describe to the best of your ability any injuries you see..."

Kim cut him off. "I have a male subject of about twenty years of age, with a compound fracture of the left femur at mid-bone, with about one inch of the upper section protruding from the wound. He also has a two inch gash on the right side of his head, just above and parallel to the junction of the temporal and Parietal bones. Pulse is weak and thready, loss of blood does not seem..."

As Kim's informed recitation continued, Drakken couldn't help a smirk as he imagined the doctor's reaction on the other end. Then he heard the sound of approaching engines, and saw the vehicles of both the Mountain Rescue Squad and the nearest Volunteer Fire Company arriving, along with an ambulance. That made him frown as he wondered what was keeping Shego...

0000000000

Bernie regained consciousness to find herself lying on a flat surface. Though rigid, it didn't feel 'hard'. She looked down at herself. "Well, not naked this time, at any rate!" She muttered. Then she looked to her right and left without raising her head, and found the same situation did not apply to Shego. Or did it?

She swung herself up into a sitting position, and noted no dizziness. Then she heard a voice, rather high-pitched. "Would you have been more comfortable naked?" She looked around, but saw no source for the voice. She was in a small room, barely big enough to hold the two 'beds', with barely three feet separating them. There was a doorway in one end of the room, in a wall about four feet from the foot of the bed. Everything was a dull blue-gray in color, with a metallic sheen to it, including the beds themselves.

"Uh, No." She replied, "I'm just kind of relieved at my state of dress, traveling with Shego...never mind, just who are you?" She stood up and studied Shego as she spoke. The woman was wearing some kind of form-fitting sheath covering everything svae her head, and which matched her skin tone. But as near as Bernie could tell, it had to be at least two inches thick, and was smooth and opaque. She touched it, and found it fairly rigid. Then sh snatched her hand back when the voice came again.

"Pardon my rudeness." This time the voice had a source, a small humanoid standing in the suddenly, and soundlessly, opened door. Though not prepared to dismiss the possibility of a stunt, or hoax, Bernie had the strongest feeling that things might have taken a jump to the Twilight Zone.

The speaker was about four foot tall, encased in an off-white semi-rigid suit which included a full helmet with no visible opening, completely disguising it's features. It walked into the compartment and stood impassively, waiting for Bernie to speak.

And the first thing from her mouth was a cliché, to her mild embarrassment. "What's the meaning of this?" She began, crossing her arms, "What have you done to Shego? And why did you stop us, we were on our way to help save some people!"

"Irrelevant to me, Miss Barr." It replied, then turned slightly towards Shego. "Anastasia Black, as she was named in the Orphanage. I'm scanning her, if you must know. Didn't want to, but my superiors will not accept my conclusions regarding the failure of our project without proof. I've already completed such a scan of her older 'brother', Henry Day, aka Henry Go, aka 'Hego', and that was a nuisance, let me tell you!"

Bernie was silent, thinking before speaking, making connections. "You're responsible for the stuff in her head." She made it a statement, not a question.

That caused the strange being to swing back towards her and tilt back slightly, as if looking at her in surprise. "You _are_ a smart one. And yes, we are."

"You made her into a thief?" Bernie responded, then realized she'd lost some of her respect with the hasty accusation. The being's next words confirmed that.

"Hardly." It responded dryly. "Our Behavioral Modification...let's refer to it as 'B-Mod' from this point, to save time? Anyway, it does not control a person, merely influences them. It may have encouraged her to break the law, but she chose the precise nature of her lawbreaking herself."

"You've been monitoring her, hence your knowledge of my name." Bernie hoped that observation was astute enough to regain some cred.

The being bowed slightly. "Constantly, as well as the rest of her little 'family'. And while it's often exciting, and sometimes highly amusing, to do so, the bulk of it would break anyone's spirit, let me tell you!"

"And what are you doing this for now, if I may ask?" Bernie indicated Shego again.

"As I believe I mentioned, my superiors will never accept my report on the reasons for our utter failure here on Earth without physical evidence to prove my assertions, I'm merely collecting that evidence." He paused, then gave a slight shrug, "I am also removing all the remnants of her remaining B-Mod, since it serves no useful purpose. I did the same with her brother."

"What about her powers?"

He shrugged again. "I see no reason to deprive her of them. Actually, until my superiors write this one off, I have no authority to do so. And once they do call the whole thing bust, I see no reason to risk another contact to do so, either."

"You seem to have picked up quite a bit of our vernacular." Bernie observed.

"Far too much, Miss Barr."

"And does Shego have to be unconscious for this procedure?"

"Only if I want to go on breathing, Miss Barr."

Bernie winced. "Point." She paused a second, then "Let's establish something here. You're an extraterrestrial being, and I'm on a spaceship, correct?"

He bowed again. "Yes to both questions. Now as to the whole sordid story, here it is in a nutshell. My people..not going to name them, it's not important, and you'd never be able to pronounce it. Anyway my people are rather poor at making war, though we're very clever. So we get by by making alliances. Making friends, conning people..." he trailed off expectantly.

Bernie cocked an eyebrow at him. "Being rather brutally honest, are we?"

"I'm a complete disgrace to my family." He replied candidly. "Anyway, this is all about a little con we tried to pull here. Well, first I should point out that we didn't have a specific goal in mind, reward wise."

"You created a team of heroes, hoping people would be grateful to you?" Bernie guessed.

Another bow. Apparently he couldn't nod, or at least not in the suit he was wearing. "Excellent deduction! And it may have gone beyond that, making deals to make other groups, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. I like that play, by the way."

Bernie shrugged. "Meh, never got used to anyone but Yul as the King. So, what went wrong?"

"Well, first I have to tell you that the whole thing was to be managed by a remote probe, after we assembled a group of likely candidates in a secluded spot. From that you can correctly surmise that five orphans in a tree house were _not_ who we had in mind! We had five choice candidates gathered in a small municipal park in Go City. All adults, if barely, and all filled with the heartfelt desire to become real-life superheroes!"

"In other words, geeks. And again, what went wrong?"

"Ah, well, our probe was sideswiped by an unscheduled rocket launch over Colorado. Not only unscheduled, but we were certain the rocket didn't even have it's payload aboard."

Bernie frowned. "That seems unlikely. I mean, why would they send it up empty? It couldn't have been an accident, of course..." she trailed off, then made a face, "On the other hand..."

"Irrelevant!" The being continued, "The collision caused damage, which worsened as the probe continued it's journey. By the time it reached Go City, it was no longer navigating properly. Unable to follow that program, it sought out five subjects in isolation."

"In a tree house?" Bernie replied incredulously, "Hardly 'isolated', I doubt the tree was that high!"

He raised an admonishing finger. "The tree house was exactly 2.84 meters off the ground, Miss Barr. It was also on the shore of the bay, in a tree well away from the orphanage buildings. But you're right, an odd choice. Anyway, having found five subjects, it proceeded with the program, in an increasingly flawed manner."

After a pause to see if Bernie had any comment, he continued. "Basically, the probe was to implant a set of suitable powers based on the individual's personality and intellectual capacity. And of course, the B-Mod to make sure they were inclined to act as forces of law and order."

"Or villains?" Bernie asked rather pointedly.

The being's posture suggested discomfort. "I suppose trying to say that Shego got a bad batch wouldn't work? Thought not. Yes, villains. Our heroes had to make a splash, you see, to build up public adoration, etcetera. And if there were no villains available defeat and help generate good press, we had some candidates to fill those roles too. And before you ask, the probe exploded before anything like that could happen, those loonies that turned up to challenge Team Go are not our doing!"

"Your 'B-Mod' was supposed to make them lawful or unlawful, not good or evil?"

He made a dismissive gesture. "Good and Evil are too subjective! A villain is a criminal, and criminals are criminals because they break laws! Simple, right?"

Bernie nodded grudgingly. "Okay, but how did Shego get 'B-villain', instead of...wait, somehow she got both, that's obvious, since she now has the same program running in her that Hego does."

The being bowed again. "But since she knows it's affecting her thinking, she can ignore it! Proof, it you needed it, that we didn't make her a villain, either!"

Bernie gave him a stern look. "I wouldn't go _that_ far, Bub!"

Now he made a conciliatory gesture. "Okay, maybe we helped her along that path, but her life was turned upside down...which _was_ actually our fault, too, come to think of it...but I'm saying that the B-Mod didn't do it by itself! As to the error, it involved the young twin boys. The program recognized that they were too young for B-Mod, so it skipped them. But, when it reached the end of the cycle and tallied things up, it 'forgot' the reason, and saw that it had given out five sets of powers, but only three B-Mods, so it started over. But instead of assessing them, it just put extra B-Mods into Hego and Shego, the oldest pair."

"Hego getting a second dose of B-hero, and Shego B-villain?"

A shrug. "If you will. Now, for reasons I'm _not_ going to explain, if a new B-Mod is inserted into an individual, the one already present goes dormant, allowing the new one to become dominant. Now, the programs deteriorate over time when active unless refreshed, and that's what happened to Shego's 'B-villain'. And Hego's first, err, second, dose of 'B-hero'. Then their first doses became active again."

"But if Doctor Drakken's scans are correct, Hego's second dose ran out before Shego's B-villain..." Bernie trailed off thoughtfully, then nodded "Because hers was accidentally refreshed by Doctor Drakken's copy of the Attitudinator?"

The being paused significantly before answering, after a deeper bow. "Very good! Yes, Doctor Drakken copied the device, but not the B-Mods. He extracted her B-villain, refreshed it, then...that other young man put it back." He sounded a bit confused about the last part.

Bernie sighed and nodded. "Thinking he was restoring her free will." She smiled sadly and shook her head. "Ron sometimes makes an art of doing the wrong thing for the right reason."

After a moment apparently digesting this, the being simply continued. "And now she's free of all influences created by us."

Bernie still had a question. "What about her powers? Why did they change?"

"Oh, that's easy! The powers manifest differently depending on the B-Mod that's in charge. So, when she was a villain, they were flaring, scary. As a hero, they look more in control." He looked at Shego, then what appeared to Bernie to be a blank wall, before adding, "Now, we're almost done, anything more?"

Bernie regarded him speculatively for a moment, then nodded. "Well, since Shego can't express herself, do you mind if I give you a piece of _my _mind, on the subject?"

After a moment's hesitation, the being folded his arms across his chest. "If you insist..."

0000000000

Kim Possible blinked. She'd heard her name mentioned. She looked around, suddenly aware of her surroundings. She was sitting on the back step of a vehicle, a rescue squad she realized. And was holding a Styrofoam cup of...she sniffed it...coffee. It wasn't very hot, and she wondered if it had been when she'd first acquired it.

Looking around she saw that she was back up on the road, which was now crowded with both vehicles and people. Rescue personnel were loading a gurney into the back of an ambulance. Kim frowned, something was wrong there. Wasn't Shego...the voice she'd heard suddenly impinged itself again on her awareness, and she recognized it as Samantha Leo's. The woman was a dozen feet away, speaking into the camera.

"...was the first to reach the bus. She managed to treat and stabilize the only two confirmed survivors of this tragedy until rescue workers were able to arrive and aid her. She was ably assisted by her boyfriend and partner, Ron Stoppable."

Kim smiled. _"There you go, Potential Boy, it's on the news, now it's official!"_ Then she frowned, and looked around for Ron. Feeling suddenly quite cold, she sipped at the lukewarm coffee as she rose and began to move about. She soon spotted her boyfriend, and her temperature seemed to rise nicely. He was in the center of a knot of college students, talking animatedly.

As she got closer, she heard one of the students reply to whatever Ron had said. "Actually, he's not too bad at getting downhill in a hurry, even on a slalom course. But getting him to stop at the end, rather then plow into the crowd, is a challenge."

Another student piped up. "Yeah, we tell him "If you can't stop, just fall down!" and he says "Dude, falling down goes against my quarterback instincts, that's like, a sack!"

Ron nodded, grinning. "That's the Brickster!" he exclaimed.

"_Brick? What does he have to do with all this?" _Kim wondered. Then a hand on her shoulder caused her to turn. Samantha Leo was looking at her with a smile, but there was a hint of concern in her eyes. "Kim, do you feel better now? Feel like talking to the camera?" She asked in what seemed to Kim to be a cautious manner.

"About what?" Kim replied before she could consider it. _"Something's wrong, and I bet I just said the wrong thing." _The concern on Mrs Leo's face became clearer.

"About saving those two students?" she prompted.

"Oh, sorry!" Kim replied, "A little distracted here!" _"I'm not sure what's going on! I remember reaching the bus..." _before her thoughts went any further along that line, she realized Mrs Leo was still staring at her. Kim smiled as she spoke "Oh! No, I don't do interviews all that well, even when I'm prepared! And off the cuff would be so...um, can I just say no, please?" She ended apologetically.

Samantha smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Of course, you must be exhausted. Why don't you go home and get some rest, Kim?"

"That's the plan!" Kim replied brightly. But when The woman had gone, Kim began looking for someone else. And soon spotted Drakken beside his hovercraft, talking into a hand-held radio. Casting a quick look to make sure Ron was still engrossed in his conversation, Kim headed quickly over to where Drakken stood.

Seeing a concerned look on his face from whatever he was occupied with, Kim immediately thought of forgetting her problem and asking what was wrong. But some part of her brain disagreed, and she blurted out "Doctor Drakken, I need to talk to you, please!" Then she clamped her mouth shut so hard it hurt, blushing slightly.

"What? Oh, Kimberly, did you want to fly back with me, or ride...what's wrong?" He finished with a frown. "Did you hurt yourself during the rescue? No, you'd have told the paramedics, wouldn't you?"

Kim leaned close enough to Drakken to speak in a low tone, almost a whisper. "Doctor Drakken, this may sound stupid, but are you sure _I_ rescued those people? Could Ron have done it, and given me the credit?"

Drakken stood there blinking in consternation for a moment, then a suspicious look formed on his face. "I heard you over the radio, Kimberly, telling everyone you'd found survivors, then describing their medical condition. Don't you remember?"

Kim stared at him for a moment, a touch of fear in her eyes. She shook her head slowly. "I don't remember a thing after..." she looked at her hands, which were clean now "...there was blood on my hands...seven dead...nothing after that." She looked around, suddenly fearful of being overheard. "Is it me, do you think, or something left over from that stuff GJ put in my head?"

Drakken studied her face for a moment before replying "I think we had better go to the lair, and scan your brain again. Let's collect Ronald and go, shall we?"

There was a momentary look of panic on Kim's face, and she almost spoke, before suddenly stopping and shaking her head violently. Then she stopped and nodded "I'll get Ron, and be right back!" She then spun on her heel and strode purposefully back towards her boyfriend.

Behind her, Drakken stroked his chin thoughtfully. Then he stirred himself, and turned to climb into the hovercraft. Suddenly noticing the radio again, he frowned deeply. _"Shego, where are you?"_

0000000000

Someone was poking Shego in the side. "Shego! Wake up, and turn the damned heater on!" Struggling to wake up, she noticed it _was_ kind of chilly...her eyes popped open and she looked down at herself, then across at a shivering Bernadette Barr. "What kind of party did we go to?!" She asked incredulously.

Bernie grimaced. "Let's just say that the next time someone lets me give them a piece of my mind, I will consider the situation I happen to be in at the time _much_ more carefully! Now, turn the damn heater on, and find out whether we missed the rescue, would ya?"

0000000000

"Professor Bortell's notes said nothing about any of his technology being able to reproduce itself, Kimberly." Drakken commented as their hovercraft flew towards Mount Middleton.

Kim was sitting tensely in the passenger seat, one hand back over her shoulder, held firmly in Ron's grasp. She nodded in response, face tight "But we don't know what GJ did to it to make it work 'properly', do we?"

Drakken conceded the point with a nod. "No, we don't. Of course, if it's resurfaced in you, then the same applies to me." The scientist kept scanning the display screen below the dash, now depicting a radar image of the sky around them. Kim noticed, and silently cursed herself for being so self-centered, even if she had some cause to be. "You're worried about Shego, of course. Maybe we can postpone this, and find..."

"Ah ha!" Drakken suddenly exclaimed jubilantly, "That has to be her!" He pointed as a fast moving blip on the screen. Then he scowled "Why is she in such a hurry, I wonder?" He flipped a switch on the dash, then spoke aloud. "Shego, is that you? Are you all right? What happened to you, I was worried!"

The answer was prompt, and sounded rushed. "We're fine, Doctor D! Just got detained...by whoever was responsible for the problem in my head? Anyway, heard the rescue went well."

Drakken's jaw had dropped slightly when Shego mentioned the 'whoever'. If his theory was correct... "I see. And only if two survivors out of twenty-two is a success...well, I suppose it is for the two...why are you heading back to the lair so fast?" At that moment the other craft zipped past them causing Drakken to involuntarily duck his head. "And did you say 'we're' fine?"

"Uh, yeah Doc, Bernie's with me, long story. And there's a problem with the heater. It was fine before our 'detention', now it's not putting out as well as it should. So, just trying to get somewhere nice and warm, that's all!"

Drakken and Kim exchanged glances, then both nodded, and Kim spoke up "Shego, let me talk to Bernie, please?"

"Uh, can't right now, Kimmie, only one set of headphones and mike, and I haven't got the time to take them off at the moment, coming in for a landing! Shego, out!" Kim and Drakken again looked at each other, eyebrows climbing. Then Kim scowled and turned to Ron. "Before we land, and I get distracted again, what was all that about Brick? He's on the ski team?"

Ron, who's face had been twisted in concentration, nodded vigorously, then frowned. "He told you all about it, Kim, I heard it over your radio!"

"Please, Ron!" Kim's tone matched her words, "Just tell me, maybe it will jog something in my head!"

Ron looked at her worriedly for a moment, then nodded firmly. "Okay, KP! He's on the ski team because he only made fourth string quarterback as a freshman..." he paused, looking at Kim expectantly. When he only saw her scowl, he hastily continued, "Only took six snaps all season, and knelt down on four of them, didn't throw any passes, and basically said 'chicks don't pay you any attention when you're fourth team!'. Food-chain issues, in other words, apply to us guys as well." Then he smiled, "Which means the Ronman is at the top of the Middleton High food chain, doesn't it?" He stated happily, looking pointedly at Kim.

Kim couldn't help a slight blush and a smile at the meaning of his words. Then she shook her head, smile diminishing slightly. "And because of it, he was on that bus...how bad was he hurt?"

Ron sobered. "You thought he might have had a punctured lung. Def damage to the ribs, and his right leg was broken badly. Other guy had compound fracture of the arm, Brick his leg. Hope that doesn't end his career." He craned his head to see out the windshield better. "Wow, never thought I'd enter your lair this way, Doctor D!" Kim turned to look as they flew into the hangar of the lair and set down neatly beside the larger craft Shego had been flying.

As they emerged from theirs, Drakken scowled. "She left the engine running, that's very unlike Shego! Something is definitely wrong, here!" As he went over to the other craft to turn the engine off, Kim and Ron exchanged glances, then hurried down the passage leading from the hangar. They soon reached the main chamber, but there was no sign of Shego or Bernie.

"Man, they must have streaked through here!" Ron observed. Kim nodded, then shrugged "They probably headed for the living quarters. And we can't follow them without looking nosy, because where we need to go is through there." She indicated the room where the big medical scanner Drakken had built was kept. The two headed that way and waited in the room for Drakken, Kim fidgeting nervously.

When the scientist joined them, she asked him warily "We're only scanning my head this time, right?" Already adjusting the settings as the machine powered up, Drakken looked up distractedly. "Hmm? Oh, yes, Kimberly, you should just make yourself comfortable."

"Huh? What are you guys talking about?" Ron asked.

Kim shrugged off her parka, and sat down to unlace her boots. "It's nothing, Ron, I just needed a full-body scan the last time, but Bernie was here as a chaperon."

"A full body scan..." Ron's voice trailed off and his eyes lost focus as he considered the implications, then a faint hint of color rose in his cheeks. "Uh, not sure how to take that, Kim." He said carefully.

"It's no big, Ron, everyone behaved themselves...except Shego." she added the last musingly, then started and looked at Ron. "She just took the opportunity to tease me, is all! You know Shego." Ron nodded automatically, but his mind was obviously drifting somewhere else. Kim was about to firmly re-focus it when Drakken announced the machine was ready. Kim nodded, made sure she had nothing in her pockets, and climbed on to the bed of the machine. "Ron? Can you push the upper button?" She pointed at the control that would slide her inside the machine. She had to repeat herself somewhat more loudly before he snapped out of his trance and and did as she asked. "Nice fantasy?" she asked archly as she slid inside.

"What?" He replied in a familiar tone of near-panic. "No! I don't think like...um, we have to be honest, right?"

"Think I'll let you take the Fifth this time, Potential Boy." Kim replied. Then she looked down the length of her body at Ron peering inside the machine. "Ron, would you mind if I turned the link on tonight?" she asked, as neutrally as she could.

"Huh? No, of course not! I love the idea of sharing dreams with you!" he declared with feeling. Then he winced "Though it does kinda backfire some time..."

"It's not always your fault when it does, Ron!" Kim replied. "And no, don't watch 'The Memo Pad, part 2'! That was _such _a lame retread of the first! How about a musical? Or an old-style comedy, or..."

"Let him make it a surprise, why don't you, Kimberly?" Kim 'eeped', she'd forgotten about Drakken's presence. "I need you to lie still for a few minutes, just like the last time."

The next few minutes were uncomfortable for Kim as her mind whirled with thoughts and fears. Including wondering what Ron was doing, since she was certain he was not standing around idly, and had a poor safety record in laboratories, to put it mildly.

But nothing alarming occurred before Drakken gave her permission to move again. As she slid out of the machine, she heard voices coming from the main chamber, and Bernie and Shego entered the room. Her one-time babysitter came straight to her, frowning in concern. She soon had the story from the girl, but Kim deterred any questions by turning to Drakken. "Did you find anything, Doctor Drakken?"

The scientist turned from his console, regarded her a moment, then shook his head. "The only thing in your head now is Professor Bortell's 'Dream Link', Kimberly, and I don't think it's responsible, I'm sorry."

Kim stood quietly for a moment, then nodded. "Okay. I'll...talk it over with Doctor Cardien when I see her next, I guess." Behind her, the look of helplessness on Ron's face was heartbreaking, but it vanished magically when she turned towards him, started to say something, then snapped her head back around to stare at Bernie. "Why were you with Shego? And what exactly happened to you?"

As Bernie tried to shift mental gears, Shego spoke up. "All I know is, this time I'm sure it wasn't my fault we ended up...the way we ended up!" She finished lamely.

Bernie sighed deeply, then turned to Ron "First, in one of your stories, you had Doctor Possible accidentally launch a rocket, didn't you?"

Ron hesitated, remembering, then vigorously nodded. "Yep! Total fabrication, of course! No way he could do that after they installed all the extra safety precautions!"

"_Extra_ Safety precautions?" Shego asked, puzzled. Then everyone's attention was drawn to Kim as she groaned aloud. Ron immediately looked defensive. "Hey! I was only eight years old at the time!"

"There's a reason," Kim informed them wryly, "Why Ron has an escort at all times when he's inside the Space Center."

Bernie was nodding. "Eight years old is about right." She mused aloud, then noticed everyone's attention was on her. "Right, let's find a more comfortable spot, and get something warm to drink, and I'll tell you all the story. And let's hurry, Shego's going to bust if she doesn't hear it soon!"

"Coco-Moo all around, coming right up!" Drakken exclaimed, and headed for the kitchen. Eventually all of them were in the small lounge overlooking the main chamber, with steaming mugs in their hands, and Bernie told her tale.

"Okay.." Shego allowed when it was done, "Maybe it was my fault after all, but just a little..."

* * *

And we leave our tale here for the moment, I really have to work on my other story. Which I was supposed to be doing instead of this chapter...anyway, Please Read and Review.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kim Possible, any of the other characters from that show, or those from any other media I may reference in my stories.

Kim woke up at three, body tense, hands gripping the sheets tightly, holding her breath. She remained like that for just less then a minute, then exhaled and relaxed. Then she rolled over and reached for her night table, seeking the Dream-Link control. She quickly found it and picked it up with one hand while reaching for the switch of her bedside lamp. Then she stopped as one of the fingers she'd wrapped around the device encountered something it shouldn't have.

After a moment's hesitation she switched the lamp on and flipped the device over. The battery compartment was open, and empty. Her lips compressed to a thin line, and she actually shook with suppressed anger. But then she relaxed again, and took a deep breath. _"Too tired to notice last night, that part was my fault. And maybe it worked out for the best. Can't go after the Tweebs now, and besides..." _her eyelids drooped as her thoughts grew fuzzy, _"Revenge is a dish best served when you're awake enough to appreciate the terror in their eyes..." _

And with that, she again slept, not even bothered by the light still burning besides her bed.

000000000

She'd turned her alarm off after hearing the night before that school was expected to remain closed until the weekend. But Kim still didn't get to sleep late, despite that.

The ringing of her phone caused her eyes to pop open. At least the one not pressed into the pillow she was hugging. She looked fuzzily at the instrument for a moment, then groaned. She reached for it and held it to her ear. "Morning, Ron."

"KP? You sound like you're still asleep! What did you do, shut the alarm off while trying to hit the snooze button? I do that all the time, and..."

"No, Ron!" She cut him off as she rolled onto her back, and winced as a slight cramp occurred in her left calf. "I had it off altogether, because we don't have school today. Anyway, why the early call?" She asked as she worked the cramp out.

"Kim, were you in my dream last night?" Came the puzzled question. There also seemed to be a touch of apprehension, but Kim wasn't sure if it was actually her imagination.

Kim sighed. "No, Ron, the Tweebs 'borrowed' the power cell from the Dream-Link, and I didn't notice. Just as well, because I remembered all of yesterday while I was sleeping. For better or for worse."

Now she was almost certain there was a touch of relief in Ron's voice. It certainly didn't sound like disappointment to her. "Oh! Well, I thought so, I mean you didn't behave very much like yourself in the dream, and I'm already having trouble remembering it, which I always do when we share one. I think." Kim could almost see his face screwing up in thought, "Of course, I don't know which dreams we shared before you told me about the link, except of course all the ones we talked about, so.."

Kim rolled her eyes before she cut him off "Ron, please, can we discuss this later? I have to get up and make sure the Tweebs eat a hearty breakfast."

There was a brief pause. "Condemned men?"

Kim grinned evilly "Oh yeah."

"Okay, catch ya later, KP!"

Kim hung up the phone and lay there thinking. _"There was more to that call then he let on...bet the dream wasn't one I'd have cared for!" _She smiled, shaking her head, _"Ron, were you having a little preview of our future? I hope reality meets up with your imag.."_ She broke off, the train of thought, blushing furiously. She then heard noises through the floor, including what had to be her brothers' voices, and her focus shifted. _"Time to get ready to render judgment!"_ She smiled again, then leaped out of bed and headed for her bathroom.

0000000000

As he hung up the phone, Ron exhaled loudly and went limp, then cracked one eye open to peer at his computer desk, where Rufus waited expectantly in front of the activated monitor. Ron grinned weakly. "Kim wasn't _in_ that dream last night, I guess we can postpone the Last Will and Testament for now, little buddy."

The Naked Mole Rat gave him a weary look. "I know, I know, I overreact when it comes to Kim's temper!" Ron exclaimed, then looked towards the steps down to the upper floor of the house apprehensively. When there was no sign he'd awakened anyone or attracted their attention if they were already awake, he went on in a quieter tone. "But you try falling in love with a force of nature, and see how easy it is!"

Rufus shrugged. His human had a point. He turned the computer off and entered one of his running tubes, headed unerringly back to his bed to resume his rudely interrupted sleep.

Ron lay back in his bed, hands behind his head, thinking back to the events of the previous evening, at Drakken's lair. _"And KP thought I might be going too far by putting aliens in my stories!" _He grinned widely, then a puzzled look came over his face. _"Wonder what was in those two boxes Shego and Bernie found outside the lair entrance last night, before Shego flew us all home? Shego gave hers to Bernie, after she took something out I couldn't see. Wonder what they're up to?"_

0000000000

Bernadette Barr was just finding out that there was something unexpected in Shego's box. Save for Shego's underwear and boots, all the clothing in the boxes had been Bernie's, hence the exchange Ron had witnessed. She had been too preoccupied to deal with it the night before, but got to it while her morning coffee was brewing. As she sorted the clothes into their appropriate laundry bins, her hand encountered an object. Pulling it out, she saw it was a block of some solid, transparent material. It didn't feel like plastic, though.

Wrapped around the block was a printed note. As Bernie read it, her eyes widened. She unwrapped it and studied what was encased in the block. She muttered something toxic, then strode to her wall phone, and dialed a number.

"Shego? Bernie, we need to talk, as soon as you can get here!"

0000000000

All things considered, Kim had to regard what she saw as some kind of trap. At the foot of the stairs down from her loft room stood her brothers, side by side, with solemn faces and hands behind their backs. Finishing buttoning the cuff of her blouse, she descended the steps warily. "Okay, Tweebs, if this is to apologize for stealing some of my stuff again..."

"You mean borrow..wait, what?" Jim's automatic response turned to confusion, "What are you talking about now?"

Kim's suspicions only deepened. "The power cell to the Dr—device in my bedside table? You know, the blue thing?"

"Oh!" Comprehension dawned on both of their faces, and Tim responded, "We just needed it for a little experiment..um, what is that device for? We thought of analyzing it, but..."

"But what?" Kim asked in a dangerous tone.

"But we decided to respect your privacy!" Tim blurted out, "But that's not why we're here!"

Kim scowled, trying to decide whether to continue to pursue the matter of her 'borrowed' property, or...she sighed. "All right, what do you need from me?" Her two brothers then looked at each other, and began to indulge in a familiar routine of nudging each other. Neither obviously wanted to start. So Kim made the choice for them, pointing at Jim, "You start, and make it quick, will you? I have other things to do." And thus the floodgates opened...

"We want to take Cam and Gina to the movies next Friday..."

"And we don't think their parents will let us..."

"Unless we have someone more responsible with us..."

"Like an older couple..."

"And we thought you and Ron could..."

"Do the job because..."

"After all, who's more responsible then you?"

Kim got dizzy. It had been a while since the alternating, breathless exposition her brothers engaged in had done this to her, so she blamed the content. She sat down on the steps and looked at them both incredulously for a moment before speaking. "Let me get this straight, you want Ron and I to chaperon you two on a _date?" "Double date" _She mentally corrected herself, then shook her head slightly as her brothers responded.

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Err, Maybe? Maybe it's a date, maybe it's just hanging out, you know?" Jim had the finish.

Kim looked at them both steadily for a minute. "Well, let me give you some advice. _Before _you ask them, you had better decide what you're going to call it, Tweebs."

That made them both squirm uncomfortably for a moment, then they looked each other in the eye, and nodded in unison. "We're too young to call it a date, I guess, so we'll call it 'hanging out'." Tim declared. Both he and his brother looked at Kim hopefully. "So, you'll do it?"

"Welllll..." Kim mused thoughtfully, then fixed the pair of them with a hard glare, "Maybe I'd be more inclined to agree if my missing power cell were to turn up?"

They exchanged looks, fidgeting. "Well.." Tim began, "..that might be difficult..."

At which point there was a loud crash above and behind Kim, followed immediately by a second, causing her to throw herself down into a crouch at the foot of the stairs and look up towards her room. There was a _hole_ in her ceiling, and smoke rising from somewhere to the right of the hatch. "..or maybe not!" Tim finished with a sickly grin.

The door to their parents' room flew open and Anne rushed to the foot of the steps. "Boys! What did you do now?" Kim, gritting her teeth to avoid saying anything worthy of a stern lecture on language from her Mom, shot up the steps. "Nevermind! Get the fire extinguisher, quickly!" Anne snapped, then she followed Kim upwards as she heard an outraged shriek from above.

"We've got our own fire-suppression system!" Both boys shouted as they dashed down the hall and into their own room.

"Have you field-tested it yet?" Anne called after them, but receiving no answer, continued up to Kim's room. Her daughter was angrily stomping on scattered embers amidst the scattered remnants of what had obviously been a rocket of some kind. Anne looked upwards towards the hole in the roof just in time to see it close. At least, one layer did. The plaster still had a big hole in it, not being made from Hephaestus technology. There'd also be some shingles in need of replacement, but at least there was no longer a leak in the roof. Some snow that had come through with the rocket was scattered about but already melting, including some on Kim's bed.

Anne looked next to the hatch where a post held a light switch for the room, and another that turned on an exhaust fan, a practical necessity for Kim, living upstairs from her brothers. Even as she flipped it on she coughed from the smoke. Seeing a glowing spot in the carpet, she stepped swiftly over to it and stomped it out. "Well, this isn't the worst they've done..." she broke off. The glower Kim sent her way clearly showed this was not the time to try diplomacy. She sighed wearily. "I'll get you some clean bedclothes, Kimmie, try and..."

"Fire _out_ in the hole!" Came Jim's voice from below, and both turned to see a small object fly up through the hatch. "This can't be good..." Kim just managed to mutter before the world turned...scarlet?

"Hicka Bicka, Boo?"

"Hoo-shaaaw!"

"Um, where'd Mom and Kim go?"

0000000000

**Minutes earlier...**

James' knee was feeling much better this morning, fortunately, as it turned out. He was keeping an eye on the indicator light for the airborne proximity alarm, having turned the audio signal off. It was no surprise to him when it began to strobe, and he was at the back door swinging it open as Drew Lipsky stamped up to it. "Morning, Drew!" He greeted the very blue scientist, handing him a steaming mug of hot chocolate.

Drakken nodded gratefully as he accepted it, sipping from it even as he headed for a seat at the kitchen table. Once both men were seated, and Drakken had removed his gloves to flew his fingers, he began the conversation. "Well, I realize I left you hanging yesterday with my announcement..." He broke off abruptly as the sound of the Tweebs' rocket impacting the roof came to them. As James cocked an ear to catch any indications as to the import of the noise, Drakken waited tensely. "Any cause for alarm?" He finally chose to ask, but the Tweebs victory shouts interrupted James' initial reply. Now he smiled at his guest. "Doesn't seem to be anything to worry about at all, all under control!"

At which point the sound of feet thundering on the stairs reached them, followed shortly by Jim and Tim bursting into the kitchen and heading straight for the back door. James and Drakken both shot to their feet. "Boys! Don't forget your coats, you can't go out in this weather without them!" James admonished his sons.

They didn't even slow down as Jim called back, "We've got two of our old ones stashed in the garden shed, we'll be fine!" And with that, they were gone.

"Well, foresight and planning, both good qualities for them to develop!" James remarked, watching the back door cease vibrating from the force of it's closure, "But I wonder what made them..."

"James..." The one word from Drakken's mouth caused James to stop, then turn around to see the two figures of his wife and daughter standing at the kitchen entrance. Every square visible inch of them was scarlet, save for their eyes. And looking into those eyes...

"Um, Drew, it occurs to me..." James said, backing towards the door through which his sons had so hastily exited, "I have some paperwork to do down at City Hall, permits to apply for, renew, and all that." He grabbed his old coat from the hook besides the door and began slipping it on as he spoke, "So, why don't I ride down with you, do that, and maybe get together with you for lunch?" He looked towards the spot where he'd last seen Drakken standing, the scientist wasn't there. Then he felt the cold air on the back of his neck from the suddenly open door. "Ah...it's settled, then!" He smiled weakly at his beloved. "I'll call when we're done, if the weather's better, maybe you can pick me up, I'll buy some take-out for everyone on the way home!" He finished in a rush, "Bye Dear, Love You!" And the door slammed again.

Kim and Anne slowly let the tension ease out of their stances, then looked each other over from head to toe. "Moratorium on 'Scarlet Women' jokes?" Anne quipped.

"Deal." Kim replied, "But now what?"

Her mother sighed. "Let's use the guest bathroom, and see if this comes off, for starters."

Thirty minutes later the pair were back at the same spot with bodies and hair wrapped in towels, and unhappy looks on their faces. All their exposed skin, even that which should have been protected by their clothing, was the same vivid, shiny scarlet. Their hair was the same shade under the towels, and nearly fluorescent.

Kim walked over and sat down in the chair Drakken had vacated. She slumped forwards, catching her face in her hands, elbows on the table. "Mom, I have really, really, _really_ tried! But, fratricide may be my only hope for remaining sane until I'm married, and have to be sane for both Ron _and_ me!"

Anne snorted as she poured two cups of coffee from the fresh pot James had never got to sample. "Isn't that a bit of an overeac..." She broke off and frowned, then shook her head. "I think I need to come up with a new line, that one's wearing a bit thin!"

Kim grinned, though the way her hands were distorting her face made it look grotesque. "Yeah, I have heard that a few times before, Mom!" She sat up and spread the fingers on both hands, looking from one to the other. "The color's uniform, if that means anything! Lucky you're not supposed to go in to work today, isn't it?"

Anne sat down with her own coffee after placing Kim's in front of her. "But I am on call, Kimmie, we just have to hope...better shut up, before I jinx myself." The two sipped their coffee in silence for a couple of minutes, before Kim rose and made herself a bowl of cereal, while slipping four pieces of bread into the toaster. She looked thoughtful as she resumed her seat. After a moment, she looked at her mother and asked the question that was bothering her.

"Mom, I'm a little disturbed about something. When Dad was backing out the door, he looked frightened.." she paused, considering how to proceed, "Which worries me. I mean, I once scared Ron into diving out his loft window, but I never meant to hurt him, I was just...working out my anger...but I did scare him, and that's bothered me..."

"Kimmie." Anne interrupted, "Your father knows I'd never hurt him intentionally, and he certainly wasn't afraid of any physical harm." She shrugged, just as the toast popped up, "At least, not on any intellectual level." she clarified, then rose and went to attend to the toast, one piece for Kim, with margarine, three for herself. She spent a few moments studying the selection of jams and jellies available, before selecting apricot. She handed Kim hers before she began to spread jelly on her own pieces.

She continued her talk after sitting down again, and after noting whether or not any of the odd color on her hands transferred to the toast, which it hadn't. A fact that had some unhappy connotations of it's own. "But men...well, all humans, of course! We have various primal instincts, and sometimes with out intending to, we trigger them in another person. Sometimes, I'm afraid, we even trigger them in the ones we love. Your father just had his survival instinct triggered.." she paused and tapped her chin thoughtfully, "Or perhaps just his flight reflex, hard to decide...anyway, when facing someone with a strong presence, or personality, sometimes one indulges these instincts, that's all. Neither Ron in your case, or James in this one, truly feared any physical harm, honestly."

Kim nodded thoughtfully as she ate, then grinned faintly. "Or, he just didn't want to experience the wrath you were feeling for anyone of the male gender who happened to be convenient?"

Now it was Anne's turn to nod thoughtfully. "Could be..."

0000000000

"Ron, you know Kim would never hurt you intentionally, right?" Felix Renton asked the blond teen. The pair, along with Wade Load, were in the middle of a marathon session of 'MutaTerror 2' on Felix's GameDude system. Ron and Wade were on the sofa, Ron between his two friends.

"Yeah, I know that!" the boy replied, "Or, I should know it!" He frowned in concentration as something huge loomed up on the screen. "Uh, oh, another MegaMute! I k_new_ we needed to search the last sector more, we must have missed a rocket launcher or something!"

"Well, it's too late to go back now, since someone blew the bridge back with our last three thermal charges!" Wade remarked testily.

Ron winced. "Well, Ned told me we wouldn't need thermals after Level 7, so I wanted to lose the weight! Besides, if they didn't want the bridge blown up, why make it destructible?"

Both of his companions rolled their eyes. "Ron, the whole environment's destructible! You can even blow craters in the ground!" Felix exclaimed in exasperation.

Ron's face lit up. "Really?"

Wade caught something in Ron's tone. He nodded. "Yeah, why?"

Ron grinned. "So if we could figure where the sewer line runs, we could blow a hole down to one, and sneak under that big dude?" Felix and Wade exchanged startled looks, then grins spread on both of their faces. It then took nearly ten minutes to implement Ron's plan, which worked perfectly. As far as it went, the huge mob of smaller mutants their three avatars literally dropped into was a surprise, and they spent several more intense minutes blasting and hacking their electronic way out. When the last multi-armed creature dropped, Wade hit pause and breathed a deep sigh. "Bathroom break! Man, that was intense!" He high-fived Ron and Felix before leaving them, in something of a hurry.

After a couple of minutes with both boys guzzling soda and working on the snackage, Felix regarded Ron curiously. "Okay, back to the Kim question, Does she scare you, or not?"

Ron looked him in the eye and nodded solemnly. "Not the way you think though, Dude. I think I expect to get punished for some of the bonehead things I do, and can't get it through my head that Kim isn't going to be the one to do it. She forgives me too easily sometimes, I think. But the thing is, the longer this goes on, without her doing _something_, the more I'm sure she's going to do it someday!"

Felix shook his head. "But she never will, will she?"

Ron grinned sadly. "No, but that doesn't stop me from thinking I deserve it, and believing that someday I'll get what I deserve! Guilt trip, anyone?"

"You've got to talk to her about it, Ron." Felix advised.

Ron shrugged helplessly. "And say what? 'Kim, I need you, just once, to haul off and smack me, so I get all this pent-up anxiety out of me?' Yeah, I can see that happening!"

Wade came back and resumed his seat. He looked at the other two. "What'd I miss?" They both half-shrugged. "Hmm, Okay, before we start again, Ron, how are things going on your story-site?"

Ron grimaced. "Wadester, I'm still getting slammed for 'Mad Dogs and Aliens'! I mean, it's been posted how long? I have guys busting each others' chops in the forum over it! Mostly about including Aliens, which they think went way over the top! Man, if I could only tell them all..." He broke off suddenly, clenching his teeth. Then he snatched up his controller. "You dudes ready to kick more mutant booty?"

Felix exchanged a curious look with Wade, then asked "Tell them what, Ron?"

"Can't talk about it, guys, shouldn't have said anything!" He responded tightly. Then he gave Wade a suspicious look. "Don't you have Drakken's lair wired again?"

Wade responded with a sickly grin. Ron was a bit touchy on that subject, since Wade had involved Rufus in his last plan to bug Drakken, with rather embarrassing results. "No, there's no point, Ron, Drakken hardly does anything up there now but sleep!" He shrugged. "I don't have it wired, but I can monitor electrical and other activity easily enough." His face became thoughtful. "Like to verify that he's not hiding Motor Ed up there, though. I doubt it, but I'd like to know for sure. But basically, Drakken's boring, right now."

0000000000

James Possible reached the Mayor's office simultaneously with the Thai take-out for their lunch. He passed Francis Lerman, better known(at least _he_ hoped he was better known!) as Frugal Lucre. The man was muttering distractedly to himself as he read some papers in his hands, and never even noticed James as he passed. Drakken's receptionist reached out hastily to pull a potted plant away from the corner of her desk to avoid impact with one of Lucre's elbows, then slid it back into place only after he was too far away to hit it if he suddenly spun around.

She then ushered James into the office. Drakken was straightening up some papers on his desk, and gestured for James to sit, and the delivery boy to put down the food, both at a small table against one wall of the office. James did with relief, rubbing his knee and wincing slightly.

"Too much activity too soon?" Drew asked as he came over to take his own seat, sniffing appreciatively at the aromas rising from the bags. He paid for the food, with a generous tip before he sat down. "Don't eat Thai that often, sometimes it doesn't agree with me." He commented as he began to sort out the meal. "Been to Bangkok twice in my life, once with Shego, Neither ended well, though through no fault of the cuisine!"

"Only been to to Asia three times..no, four, myself." James replied, "Twice to Japan, just after college, once to Taiwan, halfway through Anne's first pregnancy, and I went to Singapore three years ago for a conference."

Drakken nodded. "I remember that conference, I was actually planning to crash it, but my plans went awry." He smirked at James' expression, a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. "That time, it _was_ bad food! Trust me, you don't want to hear the details!" He finished filling his plate with his selections. "Now, can you answer a question that has puzzled me? What exactly happens when you have those little 'zone-outs' of yours?"

James had to deal with a mouthful of Pad Thai noodles before he could answer. "Well, I usually deal with the irrational by concentrating briefly on something rational, usually reciting scientific formulas or principles in my head. Like Max Q and Min Q, propellant efficiency ratios, that sort of thing!" He scowled. "Yesterday I tried a mantra of Newton's Laws of Motion, and think I got stuck in a loop, to be truthful. Might have to try something else next time."

"Like calculating the exact value of _pi_, perhaps?" Drakken grinned as he suggested it, and James did in response. "Well, that'd be a great way for you to fake catatonia, wouldn't it?"

James chuckled. "As long as it isn't Professor Gotway who tried to bring me out of it!"

"You just had to mention him!" Drakken commented ruefully, rubbing the back of his head, "I swear I can still feel a lump where he whacked me all those times! Whatever happened to old 'Getaway' anyway? He'd be too old to teach these days, wouldn't he?"

James washed his food down with some sweet tea before replying. "Retired, to Louisiana, last I heard. That's where his wife was from, remember?"

"Hmm." Drakken nodded, "The 'good old girl from the Bayou', who probably had ten points of IQ on all of us, including him?"

"At least!" James responded dryly. "Now, shall we get down to the reason you contacted me, of all people, with this news of yours?"

"Well James, to be honest, you are the most successful, family-wise, of all my former associates." Drakken replied frankly.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that!" James replied modestly, "I mean, there's Chen, he has five kids...with three different wives...hmm. Well, there's Ramesh...though his daughter has all those piercings, and his son...well, better not go into that! I suppose by comparison, I have done rather well in that department! Mind you, I think the bulk of the credit goes to Anne!"

"As I hope the bulk of the credit will go to Eileen, in my case!" Drakken responded with fervor, "I just need to know when to get involved, basically, and when to just let her have her way. Actually, I somehow doubt...James?" The look on his guest's face had gone from shock to suspicion while Drakken had been talking.

"Eileen Askew?" James asked carefully, then his voice hardened, "Does she know?"

Drakken, obviously flustered, stammered "Kn—know? I don't..OH! Y-yes, James, she knows Drew Lipsky and Doctor Drakken are one and the same, honestly!"

James looked a little relieved, but his tone still held suspicion. "You told her?"

Drakken cast his eyes down. "Er—no, actually, she already knew, longer then I myself was aware." He responded guiltily. "She's known all along, but didn't let me know until she told me about the baby. I...I suppose she was hoping I'd admit it to her."

"Frankly, I'm surprised you were even still in contact with her, considering you blamed her blindness on your own carelessness, Drew." James replied rather bluntly.

"No, NO!" Drew spat out harshly, "I n_ever_ blamed the failure of the experiment on myself! It was sabotaged, James, but it was kept a secret to protect the responsible party! No, I blamed myself for not knowing..." He paused, shaking his head. "Once I saw this in the hospital," He pointed at his face, "I never even thought to ask if anyone else had been hurt, I just threw a tantrum and fled, but only after trying to throttle that fool! I didn't even know Eileen was in the lab when it happened until later!" His voice dropped back into guilt, "And I never noticed how she felt about me at all. And I didn't contact her, she contacted me."

"How?" James tone had softened somewhat, but whether from compassion or curiosity, Drakken couldn't tell. "Through your mother?"

"No, not mother." Drakken waved dismissively, then looked James in the eye and smirked slightly, "Believe it or not, through Ronald Dean Stoppable!"

James' jaw dropped. "B—but how? When?"

The smirk turned into a genuine smile. "Christmas, James, Christmas! Do you remember the Christmas story Ronald wrote for his website?"

A distant look came into James eyes. "Ah, yes! Wrestling an anaconda in the Amazon!" He snapped back to reality, "Of course, in real life, I'd never let my sons engage in such an activity, there's a parenting tip for you!"

"Ah, Yes." Drakken replied dryly, "'Never let your offspring play with a reptile that can swallow them whole', I'll make a note of that, James." Then he spotted the sly look in James' eyes, and shook his head as he chuckled. "Sometimes I forget you're not the same James as in Ronald's stories!"

James sighed and nodded. "But sometimes, I'm afraid, I _am_ that guy!" He admitted. "Anyway, back to your story. Ronald never missed a Christmas with us, and Kimmie-cub never went on a mission on Christmas, either, so I thought it was one of the ones he made up entirely."

Drakken shook his head, explaining "Eileen contacted Wade Load, and asked for help on Christmas Eve, and Ronald did intercept the call, and convince Wade to let him do it, so Kimberly would not miss any time with your mother. By the way, do Thank her for the lemon squares she sent me for Christmas again when you see her, please?" After James nodded, Drakken continued his narrative. "Now, Eileen engaged in a little deceit of her own. She told young Load she was trying to track down Drew Lipsky, not Doctor Drakken, as if she didn't know we were one and the same, for obvious reasons. And despite misgivings, Ronald brought her to the lair on Christmas Eve. I remember first seeing her in the candlelight..."

Seeing James' eyebrows raise, he smirked. "I'm afraid I woke up in a truly 'Scrooge' mood that morning, and somehow cross-connected my toaster and the Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducer. Blew all the power in the lab, including draining every battery in the place, and probably sent my English Muffins to a galaxy far, far, away."

James chuckled. "I'll call the guys at SETI, that may explain their last translation of an unknown signal. They thought they had it wrong..." He saw the skeptical look Drakken was giving him. "Okay, enough kidding, how did you react to seeing her again, in your lair, of all places?"

"You mean, after I picked my jaw up off the floor, and managed on the thirtieth try to assemble a coherent sentence?" He sighed. "I went along with the gag, of course! I couldn't tell her who I had become, and it never occurred to me to wonder how she couldn't know, even blind. But maybe I wanted to believe she didn't really know, I'm still confused about my desires at that time. I thanked Ronald, and made him a couple of promises, which are confidential."

"And how long have you two been, um, you know?"

"James!" Drew replied with mock offense, "Gentlemen _never_ tell! But obviously, long enough! She's eight weeks pregnant, not sure who's responsible...I mean, of the two of us, of course!" He sighed glumly, "I never thought it'd be a good idea for me to have children, James! All the tests I've done or had done seem to indicate that my 'blueness' wouldn't be hereditary, but the notion still scares me. Everything about this pregnancy is causing mixed feelings in me, some I'm ashamed of."

"Not at all unusual, Drew. I had misgivings about being a parent, even though I really wanted kids. It's definitely one of the things that causes feelings of insecurity in any person. Any person that lets themselves feel doubts at all, that is! Best to face them and overcome them, of course." He paused, then grinned faintly, "And of course, that's one of the greater examples of 'easier said then done'!"

0000000000

Kim hugged herself, shivering slightly as she stood on the doorstep of Bernie's new home. She'd bundled up enough, she'd thought, but the wind had picked up more then she'd expected, and Bernie was taking a long time to answer the door. But finally, the door opened, and Bernie peered from behind it. A wary look appeared on her face as she studied how Kim was dressed. "You know, appearing on my doorstep dressed as a ninja is _not _a good idea, if you want a friendly welcome, Kim!" She commented dryly. Then she smiled and swung the door back, remaining behind it as Kim slipped inside.

Kim noticed the reason immediately, Bernie was in her underwear, boy shorts and a halter style bra. Kim also suddenly caught a whiff of bleach in the air that drew her eyes to Bernie's kitchen, where she saw a small mop bucket in the center of the floor. "Did I come at a bad time?"

"Well, there was an accident I was cleaning up, but that's done!" Bernie replied, leading Kim into the kitchen, then turning to face her. "Okay, off with the hood, let's see what you're hiding, though I can see enough skin to guess!" Kim grimaced, then pulled her ninja-style hood off. Bernie's eyes widened, and she smirked. "Going to plead insanity when the bodies are found?"

Kim rolled her eyes. "Don't need to kill them, I'm going to chaperon them!"

That one stopped Bernie's examination of Kim's face as her eyebrows shot up. Kim explained, and the nurse nodded. "But you're not going to be hard on them, just for revenge, are you?"

Kim shook her head grudgingly. "No, but it's _sooo _tempting! This is what happened this morning..." She told the story from her point of view. "Now, I'm more worried about Mom. I mean, if I go to school like this, it's not the first time I've been the butt of a lot of jokes! But Mom..."

Bernie patted her on the shoulder. "Have a seat, let me get this stuff out of the way...oh, Shego's here, she's in the bathroom right now, just so you know." Kim frowned as she sat down, but held her tongue and curiosity in check as Bernie rolled the mop bucket away.

As she waited, she looked around the house, which she'd seen once before before the furniture had been brought in. Then her gaze came back to the table, and she saw something to rouse her curiosity. A small block of transparent material with something red encased in it. She picked it up and studied it. The red item was long and thin and was shaped vaguely like...no, it _was_ shaped like the blade of a double edged fighting knife, it was just incomplete, as if partially melted, like wax. Looking at it end on, Kim saw that it was 'hollow', almost as if it was designed as a sheath for the weapon in question.

After a moment's further study as her brain whirled with ideas and observations, she set it back down. She saw the note lying next to it, and normally would have resisted the temptation to read someone else's message, but the words she could see riveted her attention, and when she'd read them, she just picked up the note and unfolded it to read the rest. At first a slightly nauseous expression appeared on her face, but it turned to anger by the time she reached the end.

"What the hell are you doing!" Kim started and jumped to her feet, dropping the note. It wasn't Shego's regular angry voice, it was more of an angry croak, but it had the same effect. Kim spun to see the woman standing there, wrapped in a bathrobe and looking decidedly unwell. And Kim suspected she'd just read the cause of her unrest. She looked around the kitchen floor that Bernie had cleaned up, and considered both women's state of dress, and had a pretty good idea what had happened.

Shego was now swaying unsteadily as she peered at Kim, brow furrowed. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Shego! Sit down before you fall down!" Bernie commanded as she reentered the room, pulling on an old sweat shirt. She pulled a chair out for the ex-thief.

"I'm fine!" Shego snapped sourly in reply.

"One of these days you'll say that to me, and it'll be true, but today isn't that day!" Bernie replied sharply, "Now sit!"

Shego glared at her, but walked carefully over and sat down, tugging the robe tighter around her. She grumbled something about all doctors and nurses taking courses in bullying, then shifted her glare to Kim, studying the girl's coloring. "Okay, if Doc didn't do it, had to be your brothers...I know some deep holes..."

"Stop!" Kim exclaimed, "That's enough with the 'Kill the Tweebs' jokes! Normally, I'd be making them, but too many might cause me to..."

"Actually think it's a good idea?" Shego quipped. Kim glared at her, then her lips twitched a bit. "Let's just put a hold on them, okay?" She then told the whole story of the morning's incident. "So, is your whole room this shade now?" Bernie asked.

Kim shook her head. "No, or I might be tempted..." She shook her head violently, "Never mind! No, the only places where the color manifested is where the 'hot spots' were, Wade thinks it's a heat reaction, and body heat was enough to trigger it. He still hasn't managed to analyze the formula for it yet." She was staring at the block of material again. She bit her lip, and looked at Shego, who wasn't paying much attention to anything at the moment. "Shego, I—I can't believe someone would make something that..."

"Would make my biggest nightmare actually come true?" Shego cut her off harshly. Then she winced, shaking her head. "Sorry." She reached out and picked the block up. "This had to have cost a lot of money to have made. It's intended for me, specifically, not my brothers, or anyone with powers, just me!" She snorted and smirked, "A year ago, this would have stoked my ego no end, someone going to this much trouble to kill me in a unique way, it actually would be a sign that I 'rated' as a bad girl! But now, it actually scares me to think people would hate or fear me this much."

She reached over and picked up the note, and began reading part of it aloud "This compound, reacting with your power, would have slowly canceled your own body's immunity to said power, causing your plasma to begin to consume you from within..." She dropped the note and closed her eyes, shuddering. "Doesn't get any easier to read the second time..." She muttered.

"Someone coated, or sheathed, a knife blade with this, and stabbed you?" Kim asked for clarification. That was a guess, since nothing had been mentioned in the note about how it had been delivered.

Shego nodded, expression sour. "I got impatient, and careless, and the bastard got me. Don't care how good he was supposed to have been, that never should have happened!"

"So he _is_ dead?" Bernie asked her.

"Yeah, the Brits didn't really want him alive. The only way they'd have taken him alive is if he'd come in naked with a big blue bow around his neck, hands in the air!" Shego rubbed her face as she continued, "If my powers had been still running in 'villain' mode, with all my tissue suffused with it to give me that healthy, green complexion..." She smiled grimly, "It would have been set off immediately. But, with the changes, my power is concentrated in one area, and channeled through my body to where I need it. So, I was lucky he stabbed me where he did. If he'd hit me right where the power's concentrated...if his information on me had been up to date..." She broke off and her head drooped as she rubbed the back of her neck with both hands, "...God."

"Well, at least these aliens got it out of you before it affected you too badly, or you used your powers." Kim observed hopefully, "And they reversed the other thing, which should be a good thing, right?"

Shego's head came up, face puzzled. "What other thing?"

Bernie winced. "She never finished reading, before..." She gestured vaguely at the floor.

"I puked all over both of us, she's trying to delicately avoid saying." Shego snapped sourly, "Now what's this 'other thing'?" She reached for the note again, but Bernie stopped her. Shego gave her friend a warning glare.

"Apparently, your alien 'benefactors'.." Bernie explained, "Didn't want you taking time off from your heroic career, or the one you should have had, to be a mother." Shego's eyebrows rose. "So, they had the power tuned to act as a contraceptive, of sorts." Bernie finished, studying Shego's face for signs of her reaction.

"Oh." Was all Shego said as her face grew thoughtful. Kim and Bernie exchanged glances as the silence lengthened, but at last Shego spoke up again. "To tell the truth, getting pregnant while I was green would have freaked me out, I think." A look of exasperation appeared as she shook her head, "No, I _know _it would have freaked me out, because...well, for a lot of reasons! So, that's not such a bad thing, and now they've reversed it, you say?" Both Kim and Bernie nodded. "Well, then, nothing to worry about, is there?"

That caused both her companions to exchange puzzled looks, but then they nodded. "If you say so, Shego." Bernie replied. Then she turned to Kim, "Did you come over to discuss your new look, or was there something else?" Then she blushed slightly. "I mean, you're welcome here, and you haven't seen the place since I finished fixing it up...sort of, things still to do."

Kim smiled. "I got you. No, I came over because of something that happened last night." She explained the fiasco with the dream-link. "But instead of a dream, I remembered everything from yesterday that I'd forgotten, and I mean _everything!_ Not all of it pleasant." She finished with a grimace.

"Well, that's good, isn't it?" Shego asked. She was looking much better then when Kim had first seen her.

Kim shrugged. "Doesn't explain why I forgot them, or blocked them out, in the first place." She replied.

"Defense Mechanism, Kim." Bernie answered, "You had to shut some things out in order to function. Happens differently for different people, though in your case, forgetting it entirely? Not sure if I've heard of that happening before. It's also rather too neat, it all coming back at once in your sleep like that."

"I was wondering about that 'memory cache' stuff that was in my brain..." Kim began, then paused.

"Which isn't there any more." Shego pointed out, "Doctor D scanned you twice, and the second time, he couldn't even find any identifiable remnants of it. By the way, when he did that first scan, why didn't he find this 'Dream Link' of yours?"

"I wondered about that, too." Bernie added, regarding Kim expectantly.

Kim blushed faintly. "Because I told him about it in advance, so he wouldn't say anything in front of you, Bernie. It seemed the lesser of two evils, since I was kind of ashamed about it, at the time! But back to the other thing, what if that stuff 'taught' my brain to do things?"

Bernie's brow furrowed. "Taught? I'm not sure that's possible, Kim, your Mom would have a better idea then me anyway, sorry."

"No clue here, either." Shego remarked, "But the whole idea is weird enough not to dismiss, in our lives! But, didn't that stuff work on a six-hour cycle? It had to be longer then that before it all came back to you, didn't it?"

Kim shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so. It was just an idea, is all. I guess I'll just discuss it with Doctor Cardien at my next appointment."

"When is your next appointment, Kim?" Bernie asked.

The girl sighed. "Three weeks." She said glumly. She shook her head "I really need a break of some kind, and an extended weekend off because of snow isn't going to do it, especially when it represents more missed school!"

"I feel the same way." Shego remarked, "And I intend to do something about it! Heading south to a tropical paradise." She looked at Bernie "And you're invited! You want to come, or not? I promise to have you back to pushing aspirin Monday morning."

Bernie bit her lip as she thought it over. Then her eyes shifted to Kim, and she grinned. "Why don't we all go?"

Shego blinked, then looked back and forth between her friend and a startled Kim. "What, you want to turn this into some kind of girls' outing, or tropical slumber party?" She asked incredulously.

"Why not? I'll pay her way." Bernie responded cheerfully, then smirked. "In fact, I think we need a few more girls..."

0000000000

"Anne, could you please not perpetuate the stereotype of Doctors making bad patients?" Drew Lipsky asked in a tone of exasperation, even as he caught James Possible's eye roll off to one side. They were all in his laboratory, in the scanning room.

"I'm Sorry!" Anne responded with a touch of asperity, and a distinct lack of sincerity, "But I don't like to do things this way!" Her voice echoed from within the scanning chamber. "I'd have preferred to go to the hospital, and consult a dermatologist of my own choosing!"

Drakken now shared an exchange of long-suffering glances with James, before responding reasonably "Well, you know I'm something of an expert on color changes of the skin, Anne. I'll admit I've never found a way to reverse my own problem, but I did do a great deal of research on the subject, so...hmm." His voice trailed off.

Anne remained silent for nearly half a minute, wondering if Drew was playing her, before she had to ask, "Hmm, what? Did you find anything?"

Drakken looked up, startled. "What? Oh, no, sorry, your scan isn't complete I was looking at an old one. You'll have to be patient another moment, Anne."

"Drew, I meant to ask earlier," James spoke up, ignoring his wife's frustrated growl, "You say someone sabotaged the experiment that turned you blue, and blinded poor Eileen? Who was responsible?'

"No one you know, James, a former M.I.S.T. Graduate, who resented my getting my being given lab space at all over him. After all, I didn't graduate from 'Dear Old M.I.S.T.', I had to go to a lesser college to finish my degree, didn't I?" There was a puzzling lack of bitterness in his tone, but James didn't remark on it. He briefly studied data coming up on the screens before him before continuing, "In any event, he was disciplined to the satisfaction of my employers at that time. They had had high expectations for what I was working with, and he took the blame for my leaving in reaction to my misfortune."

"Disciplined? How can you merely 'discipline' someone who deliberately causes something like that?" James exclaimed angrily.

Drakken had a good reason not to answer that question, so he was glad of a diversion. "Ah, here we are...Anne, the changes are merely skin-deep, but all of your dermis seems to be affected. I don't see anything familiar...I am going to need the formula for the compound that caused this, as well as anything in Kimberly's room it may have interacted with."

"Would you also like a couple of servants to clean your lair top to bottom over the weekend?" Anne asked from inside the scanner, "And am I done in here?"

"No, and yes, Anne." Drakken replied seriously, "In the first case, I'd really rather not have your sons loose in my lair, under any circumstances! There's a great deal of, er, mischief they could get up to."

"I wasn't serious, Drew." Anne said as she slid out of the scanner and James offered a hand to rise. "And did you mention Eileen Askew? I just realized, I haven't called her in weeks."

James looked quickly at Drakken, who nodded, while Anne was busy smoothing her dress. "Yes, we did, dear. Eileen and Drew are...involved."

That caused Anne's head to snap up, then swivel back and forth to study both men for signs of her being put on. "Really? She...she hasn't mentioned anything, or was this just recently?" Drakken noted a protective note in Anne's tone, which he approved of, actually.

"No, it's been going on for more then a year, Anne." Drakken explained, "And it may be..." He paused, looking at James, a sudden determination showing in his eyes, "Rather, it _is_ going to a 'higher level', as of tomorrow."

James was startled, while Anne wore a puzzled expression. "Are you saying that you intend to _propose_, Drew?" She asked warily.

Drakken nodded decisively. "I most certainly am!"

So Drakken's committed(Insert own joke here), and the ladies are off to a tropical paradise for the weekend. Wonder where things will feel hotter?

Please Read and Review, if you can.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kim Possible, any of the other characters from that show, or those from any other media I may reference in my stories.

Thanks to King in Yellow, Katasumara, Screaming Phoenix, CajunBear72, Michael Howard, Reader101w, Feudor, and BlazeStryker for their reviews of CHapter 3.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Ron was in the middle of a little online research when Kim called with the invitation.

_**"BATTLE OF MIDDLETON, COLORADO,** July 6th, 1861--Inconclusive skirmish occurring in the early months of the **American Civil War **between pro-Union and pro-Confederacy factions in the **Colorado Territory**._

_On June 17th, 1861, **Alexander Hamilton Rockwaller, **a former captain of militia and supporter of States' Rights, though not slavery, called for all like-minded Coloradans to travel to Middleton and assemble at his home. His intention, according to his papers, was then to lead them by whatever route necessary to join the Confederacy's regular forces, probably in Missouri._

_However, apparently unaware of that fact, and believing Rockwaller intended to spread the fighting to Colorado and seize the territory in the name of the Confederacy, **Andrew Jackson Geary,** Rockwaller's replacement as local militia captain, ordered the militia to assemble to disperse the rebels. Finding that many militiamen had joined Rockwaller instead, he put out a general call for men throuhout the region. In addition, he notified Major General **John C. Fremont**, then commanding the Union **Department of the West**, and for whom Geary had campaigned in the 1856 Presidential race, of his intentions. Fremont responded by expressing his faith in Geary's ability to handle the situation, and stating that he had no troops to spare to send to Colorado to aid Geary._

_By July 3rd, neither side had assembled more then one hundred men. A truce for the observance of Independence Day was brokered. On the 5th, a thunderstorm that lasted most of the day prevented any action, which was not to have been a battle, as far as the Rockwaller faction was concerned, but instead a departure from the Middleton area altogether._

_Sometime on the evening of the 5th, however, an unknown incident occurred that inflamed the pro-Confederacy force, and caused them to pressure Rockwaller into at least advancing against the Union base of operations, a ramshackle hotel on the northern outskirts of the town. In response, Rockwaller assembled them before dawn on the 6th and began to march around the town, using the woods that bordered the town on the western side to conceal his movements from prying eyes._

_However, Geary had also chosen to move that morning, and chose to skirt the town on the eastern side to avoid the selfsame woods for fear of an ambush. As a result, both sides found themselves occupying their opponent's base without opposition late in the morning. After brief euphoria on both sides in the belief that their opponents had fled, both learned the true circumstances shortly before noon, and again set out to confront each other. This occurred east of the town, with both sides halting outside the effective range of the muskets most were armed with and forming up._

_At this point the two captains initiated a parley, and met between the lines, accompanied by their sergeants. After a brief talk, the sergeants returned to their respective lines. There exist conflicting accounts of what happened next, but shots were suddenly exchanged, followed by full volleys. In this exchange both captains were killed, being still between the lines, and roughly twelve more men were wounded. Then both sides broke from their lines and went to ground, exchanging desultory fire for a further hour before both sides withdrew, with no clear record of who retreated first. Later in the day the pro-Confederacy force left Middleton, marching southward as they had originally planned, leaving the 'battle' a debatable Union victory."_

Ron pushed his chair back from the desk, brow furrowed. "That's all?" He looked incredulously at Rufus. "Two guys died, and they called it a 'battle'? Okay, maybe these guys were important then...let's see..." He clicked on the names of the two captains in turn, accessing the embedded links. "Hmm, Mister Rockwaller was rich even then, and it says he campaigned for, um, Stephen A. Douglas? Who did he run against?" Rufus rolled his eyes. Sometimes his owner couldn't make the simplest connections...and other times he could connect the strangest things together.

"Hmm, Mister Geary was a Republican, but supported somebody named _Salmon_? Uh, Salmon P. Chase. But Geary campaigned for Lincoln...ohhhh! He supported Chase until Lincoln beat him for the nomination, then supported Lincoln, who beat Douglas, I get it!" He sat back with a satisfied grin, and Rufus nodded approvingly. "But, where does Mister Barkin come into this? Drakken suggested I ask him, and I thought there might be more to it then Mister B being a teacher?" Rufus shrugged. He was a Mole Rat, what did Ron expect, an endless fount of knowledge?

Then Ron's phone rang. He sprang up and dove onto the bed to reach it before the second ring. "Ron Stoppable, Esquire, speaking." He said in a snooty tone.

"Hey Ron." Came Kim's voice.

"KP!" Ron rolled over and pushed himself up into a sitting position against the headboard. "What's up, oh mighty BFGF?"

"Oh, was wondering if you felt like a little trip to a nice Caribbean island, that's all."

Ron sat upright, smile somehow widening even further. "We have Mission sign?" The fact that Kim hesitated before answering told him what he needed to know.

"No, Ron, this is just a little trip to get some sun, basically. Leave tomorrow, stay Saturday, then get back for school on Monday. Bernie and Shego are arranging it, Bernie's going to be chaperon, as far as the parents are concerned. Monique, Bonnie, and Tara have already signed on."

Ron's face contorted comically through a moment of panic followed by a teeth-baring grimace. "Uh, tomorrow, you say? Um, I was planning to go see Brick in the hospital tomorrow, and do some historical research."

"Oh." Kim replied abashedly. "I hadn't thought of going to see...historical research?" The tone of her voice shifted to curiosity mixed with a hint of suspicion, but Ron was on solid ground here.

"Yep, finding out all about the Battle of Middleton, KP!" he declared boastfully, then held his breath as he waited for her reply.

"Oh! That's right, I remember that being mentioned during the mission." She paused thoughtfully. "So, you don't mind me going off without you?" She asked in a manner that had Ron thinking of various metaphors concerning minefields as he chose his reply.

"Well, I mind, but I already know better then to insist on being with you twenty-four seven, KP. Er, I mean spending every waking moment together." He corrected himself hastily, then winced, "I mean, even when we're married, I can't, or we can't..or.."

"Ron, Ron, I get it! Somewhere in there might actually be a mature observation trying to find expression, but I'll settle for you just telling me I'm not hurting your feelings by going without you, please and thank you!" Exasperation shifted to contrition as she spoke.

Ron sighed audibly as he replied "Kim, you won't hurt my feelings, I promise, if all you want is some time with the girls. I know I can't be everything for you, but I'll be everything I can be, I swear to you."

He could hear the smile in her voice as she replied. "Totally don't need you to say that, but it's nice to hear anyway. Well, I need to get some sleep because I need to get up early and get ready. Take care of yourself. Love you, Ron."

"Love you, KP, always will." He replied. When he heard the click of Kim hanging up, he let out an exaggerated sigh of relief. Looking at Rufus, he grinned widely. "THAT was a close one, buddy! An all-girls weekend? A fate worse then being denied spicy food! Glad I had a good excuse for passing on it, didn't want to hurt Kim's feelings, but you do realize what a disaster that trip could have been? I mean, remember the cheer team trips?"

Rufus nodded in sage like approval. It was good to see his master could learn from his mistakes.

"And tomorrow, after I visit Brick, I'm going to head over to Mister B's and ask him about the Battle of Middleton." Ron stated decisively.

Rufus hid his dismay well, then shrugged philosophically. After all, two steps forward and one back was still some sort of progress...

00000000

"You're kidding me!" Anne Possible declared as soon as she'd washed the toothpaste from her mouth to avoid spraying it all over her husband. She turned to where he leaned on the door frame, a wan smile on his face. "Drew wants us to be there when he proposes marriage?!"

James shrugged. "Well, we are friends with Eileen, and he needs a little moral support..." His finish was a touch lame, but Anne let it pass.

"If it wasn't for the fact I'm still absorbing the knowledge that she and Drew have been romantically involved, and now, that they're going to be _parents_, I think I'd handle that suggestion better!" She declared. She sighed "I know why you didn't tell me yesterday, it was Drew's secret after all, but this is quite a lot to take in at once!" Then she smiled "But of course I'll go. I want a word with Eileen, see if she knows exactly what she's getting into."

James nodded. "I thought you would. But for the record, Eileen has apparently known all about Drew for longer then he even knew. In fact, she was fully aware of his status before she contacted Wade to contrive their getting together." He trailed after Anne as she exited the bathroom after turning off the light, then headed for their bed.

Anne smiled. "That part of the story..." then she scowled thoughtfully "Though the thought that Ron believed it was a good idea to take her to Drew's lair? I guess he knew Drew well enough to know how it'd work out, but that seems very strange when you think about it." She got into bed and sighed. "James, do you think it's a good idea? I mean, them getting married?"

James got under the covers as he shrugged. "They're consenting, mature adults...Drew at least ninety percent of the time these days, Eileen has always been mature, so it's their choice, we have to respect that." He shook his head slowly. "It was a big surprise to me that she liked Drew, to tell you the truth." Seeing the odd look Anne was giving him, "What?"

"You didn't hear all the details of the accident that blinded her? No, I guess not, you were in Florida at the Cape at the time..." She paused for a moment as James waited expectantly. "It's just that, it occurred late in the evening when everyone should have gone home from the lab. But Eileen apparently knew Drew was there and went to see him, almost certainly to let him know her feelings in the matter."

"How do you know that?" James asked, brow furrowed.

Anne colored slightly as she replied. "Well, when she was brought into the ER, I was there...and she was wearing a trench coat...with nothing underneath."

James just sat there blinking for a moment, then.."Ohhhh." He nodded, a faint smile appearing on his face. "That would be fairly conclusive evidence, wouldn't it? But tell me, Doctor Possible, is there any chance her inspiration for such a thing might have come from a close friend, say...a certain redheaded..."

"James Possible! What happened between me and you back then _stayed_ between me and you!" She managed to get out despite a furious blush, which made her already scarlet skin turn a shade of purple, such that James was momentarily worried, but the suppressed grin on her face told him things were perfectly all right.

"As it should have." He answered. Then "Anne, dear, I know we forbade any 'Scarlet Woman' jokes, but I was wondering..."

She gave him a wary look, then her lips twitched. "Lights on or off, Doctor Possible?"

0000000000

Bernie received a brief call from Doctor Drakken the next morning as she was packing.

"Miss Barr, I know you and Shego have become close, but did anything happen yesterday to, um...you know, it's rather odd to use the word 'upset' with Shego. I mean when she threw a tantrum, 'upset' was a very inadequate description! But never mind that, as to my question?" he waited patiently as Bernie worked out what to say.

Finally, "Yes, something did, but it's her secret to share...you know, I'm not sure how to address you? But that's not important, what happened to concern you?"

"Drew will be fine, Miss Barr. Shego was very distracted last night, I'm not sure she even heard me tell her about the eviction notice! But I am quite sure she had a bad night. It's not the first time, I know the signs."

Bernie was momentarily confused. "Um, call me Bernie, or Bernadette, if you prefer...um, I wouldn't be surprised if certain old nightmares of hers have resurfaced...eviction notice?"

She heard a deep sigh. "Yes, it seems I haven't lived up to the terms of my lease! No villainous activities since September, I'm required to do something along those lines fairly regularly. Six months is the limit, and I don't see myself doing anything to qualify before it runs out. Jack Hench already wants me to schedule an Open Lair."

Bernie was now fairly conflicted, but couldn't help offering a helpful suggestion. "Do you still have to file your Income Tax return?"

"Miss Barr...Bernadette, please! Everyone does that, it doesn't count!"

When the conversation was over, Bernie resumed packing while unhappy thoughts swirled in her head. _"Shego, Kim...me, all damaged goods some would call us. Kim needs a serious break from the weirdness, but it starts at home for her! No idea what to suggest for Shego, maybe she should get away and go lie in the sun for a while. Heh, maybe I _should_ go with her!" _She sighed wearily. _"Well, lets see what an abbreviated weekend does for us all, hopefully nothing weird will happen!"_

0000000000

Ron's hospital visit got off to a rocky start. A 'Rocky coast of Maine' start. He was barely off the elevator on Brick's floor when he spotted Arnold Flagg, Brick's father, hovering outside his son's room. He was definitely the source of Brick's build, though he himself was more in the mold of a linebacker or fullback. In fact, he'd played both back in his high school days, or so Brick had occasionally boasted.

Right now, Ron's imagination placed a towering thunderhead over the man's balding pate, such was the scowl he was directing to those around him. Next to him was a well-dressed man Ron vaguely remembered as Brick's uncle, a lawyer. He was most likely from the mother's side of the family, he bore no resemblance at all to Arnold.

Ron heard something like a whisper then, seemingly from inside his own mind. He'd heard them before, usually while deciding whether to turn right or left, and always before in a place of danger. But this time it seemed to be urging him to postpone his visit to Brick. Not impressed with track record of this cerebral anomaly, and seeing no reason he would draw Arnold Flagg's ire, Ron strode forwards. Then Arnold's gaze fell on Ron, and he suddenly upgraded his opinion of that last whisper's veracity.

Arnold broke into motion so fast it took a second for his brother-in-law to notice and start after him as he bore down on Ron. "You!" He bellowed, drawing scowls from a dozen people around him, "You're Stoppable, aren't you? My son's so-called friend?"

"Well, actually.." Ron began, but was rudely cut off.

"Did you and that girlfriend of yours properly immobilize my son's leg before you moved him?" Mr Flagg's volume had lowered from '11' to '10', but Ron could tell he'd had something with sauerkraut on it quite recently, even at a range of ten feet.

"No, we..." Ron was amazed for a moment that he didn't stammer as he tried to reply, but then again, he only managed two words.

"WHAT!" Ron would have actually believed it if someone later had told him that he had leaned back at a 45-degree angle in response to that yell. He also felt an urgent need for a napkin or something to wipe his face off.

"You stand there, and tell me that you didn't follow proper procedure during this so-called 'rescue' of yours, and my son's career may have been jeopardized by your idiot girlfriend's incompetence?" In the midst of his tirade, Arnold Flagg suddenly felt something twist in his gut, as the boy he was haranguing suddenly got an odd gleam in his eye. Some sort of self-preservation instinct for his self-image caused him to spin around to face his brother-in-law. "Did you hear what he said? And you say 'no one's responsible', my..."

"You didn't let him finish, Arnie!" The man snapped, "Just like you haven't let anyone finish a sentence since you've been here! Now shut up, or you'll have to _pay_ for legal advice and services, understand?" Not waiting for a reply he turned to Ron. "My name's Sam, Sam Milkem, Brick's uncle, could you finish what you were saying about immobilizing Brick's leg?"

Though he seemed friendly, he was a lawyer, and Ron was wary. He cast another angry look at Arnold, then replied. "I was trying to say that _we_ didn't immobilize his leg, we just stopped the bleeding. We left it to the Mountain Rescue Squad to do the rest, and get Brick and the other guy out. We helped guide the stretcher up, but the pros handled the hard part."

A truly sour look was now on Arnie's face, as he suddenly turned and stalked away. Sam leaned closer to Ron. "If I thought physical violence was the solution to him, I've got a telescoping riot baton in my pocket. Probably would have broken it on his thick skull, but...anyway, Kung Fu'ing him would have just caused more trouble then the satisfaction would have been worth."

Relaxing slightly, Ron nodded. "He just shouldn't have said anything like that about Kim!" Then his eyes shifted to a TV screen mounted on the wall of a nearby waiting lounge, and he groaned. "Speaking of which, there's another person I'd like to shut up, when it comes to talking about Kim!"

Sam's eyes locked on to the screen in question. "Summer Gale? Heh, dated her once...someone already cut her off earlier, when she was about to mention that madness you guys got caught up in down in the Caribbean. She was reporting on some pictures someone took of Kim going through an airport this morning, something about her face being red? Tried to segue into a shot at Kim over the earlier incident, and the program switched to another reporter, cut her off completely! Well, you _could_ hear her squawking in the background, sounded like she was pitching a fit!"

Ron's face lit up with a wide grin. "About time!" Then he turned back towards Sam. "Anyone else in with Brick? I wanted to see him, but..."

"Go on in, my sister's in there, but she'd be glad to meet you, Ron." Sam reassured him, even as he looked around. "While I track down my brother-in-law, he's probably stalking the ER doctors who treated Brick by now. Boy making it big in football was important to him, maybe a little _too_ important!"

0000000000

"'_Imposer_ _Online'!?_ I cannot believe you'd suggest that I lower myself to that level!" Summer Gale exclaimed haughtily.

Her boss, former music and entertainment agent Roland Pond, rocked back in his chair and regarded her with barely concealed frustration before replying. "It wasn't a _suggestion_, Summer, that's where you're going if you fail to follow my orders in the future!" He shot out of his chair, silencing her with a sharp gesture as he strode over to the main window of his office. Which gave him a view of twenty feet of dead air between the office building they occupied, and the Middleton Pickle Works' oldest building, a towering red brick structure with rows of tiny windows. He had no idea what went on in there, and no real wish to find out. But if he himself fell any farther down the food chain, it was more then likely he might. And he would be damned before he'd let Summer Gale push him further down that slippery slope.

Now he turned back to face her glowering visage. "I told you last week, and the week before, to drop any more references to the Carnival incident when you report on Kim Possible, _especially_ to belittle her after she's saved someone's life! I actually got a phone call from Corporate about you mentioning it after the bus crash save! And you don't just _mention_ it, you try and recap the whole story, each and every time!"

"I'm trying to be entertaining, as well as informative!" Summer blustered back. In truth, she was a little unsettled by Roland's claim that the owners of their little enterprise might be unhappy. Of course, it would be just like Roland to make that up to try and intimidate her. After all, hadn't he given a job to one of his former clients, one of the 'Oh Boyz', as a janitor, or something? Claimed he was hiding him out after rehab, but how true...then she realized Roland was speaking to her.

"Did you just hear a word I said?" He asked as he studied her face searchingly.

"Of Course!" Summer replied haughtily, by reflex.

He looked doubtful, but nodded. "Good! Now, look at this!" He gestured at the screen of his desktop computer's monitor. Summer moved to where she could see it clearly, frowning. Five graphs arranged vertically were on the screen. "Okay, these show our viewers, on a minute-by-minute basis, for five recent episodes. Now, on all of these graphs, can you spot the point where _you_ started repeating the tale of Kim Possible and the Griefmeister?"

Summer didn't take long to decide exactly what he was talking about. All five graphs featured a substantial dip, lasting, if she read it properly, from five to ten minutes. And the line representing viewers never made it back to the original level. "Are you trying to tell me..."

"That the moment you begin to rip Possible for a weeks-old error, the viewers switch us off? Yes indeed, that's exactly what happens! I can show you the episode transcripts if you don't believe me! And you might notice the number of viewers for each episode has steadily declined. Now, what does that mean, do you think?"

Summer's mouth worked soundlessly for a moment before she shut it and gathered her thoughts. "I'm losing viewers?" She finally asked in disbelief.

Roland's eyes bulged. "No, _we're _losing viewers! And when the blame for it gets laid on me, I'm not going to hesitate a minute to drop it right on you! So, from this point on, you don't even _mention_ Kim Possible in your broadcasts, unless I personally vet your copy, first! And if I'm not here, you still don't put it on, even if you've got footage that she danced..._what?!"_ He snapped, making Summer jump, but Roland's attention was directed to someone who had just entered the office. Summer turned to see who it was, and suppressed a groan with difficulty.

Denise Doughty, her main 'rival'(as Summer saw it) for broadcast time. Though 'Haughty Doughty' was an appropriate nickname for the slender brunette, she unfortunately lived up to her other nickname, 'Hottie'. The latter never helped Summer's peace of mind concerning her job security. Right now, however, the woman was directing a long-suffering look at Roland, who finally rolled his eyes and spread his hands. "Sorry, but you should have knocked, you know! Now, what's up?"

"I just got a hot tip, but it falls more into Summer's department." She stated this matter-of-factly enough, but Summer still studied her suspiciously.

"Oh?" Roland replied with some trepidation.

Denise nodded. "It came from Middleton General Hospital, some guy accused Team Possible of botching their handling of his son's leg injury, in public."

Roland groaned, but Summer gave Denise a smug look. "That's not likely, Kim Possible flew out of the city this morning."

Roland gave her an odd look, but then nodded. "That's right, so either the tip is a bust, or they were just talking to Stoppable."

Doughty nodded. "Right, and my source thinks he heard Stoppable admit they didn't properly stabilize the leg before moving the victim."

Despite herself, Summer felt her pulse quicken slightly. She tried not to look eager as she looked at Roland, who chewed his lip as he mulled it over. Finally he looked quizzically at Denise. "Did the kid lose his leg, or something?"

Doughty looked uncertain. Then she shook her head. "I don't think so, kid's father said something about endangering a promising pro career, I believe. Maybe lost the leg, but I sort of doubt it."

Roland thought it over while Summer barely restrained herself from bouncing up and down on her toes. Finally he nodded. "Okay, if the kid lost his leg, it might be worth writing up! Summer, go ahead, but _every _fact that you report had better be completely true and verified, no excuses! One wrong fact, no matter what the excuse, and it's _Imposer Online_ for you!"

"OOo, that's not good!" Denise commented with a touch of malice, "That tiny little webcam, showing every pore of your face, and at your age, Summer? A really bad idea!"

Summer tried not to snarl at the woman. Instead she nodded to Roland. "No problem, this story will be _all_ fact, I promise you!" She turned and strode to the door confidently. She ushered Denise out with a smirk, then started after her, only to hold up when Roland called to her. He'd sat down in his swivel chair and was gazing out his window again.

"By the way, Gale, if I see an expense voucher for a bone saw, you are _so _fired!" He cringed a moment later when his office door slammed violently, then smirked.

0000000000

"So what do you think, Doc, is the offer legit?" Doctor Drakken looked up and frowned at Francis Lerman, who was pacing nervously in front of his desk. He leaned back and folded his hands across his chest.

"Francis, on the surface, this seems like a legitimate job offer, and they say they're offering it to you because of your work here, claiming they believe you've proven your honesty." He sighed and picked up a folder, which he held out to Lucre. "But according to this, and I think it's reliable, the finances in that county are in arrears, with no explanation that doesn't suggest to me something illegal. Personally, I'm afraid they may just want to hire you so they can use you as a fall guy when the problem is discovered."

Lucre didn't stop pacing, he just bobbed his head. "That's what I figured! Yep, just a set-up. Oh, Doc, my cousin finished the rings, you can pick them up any time!"

Drakken's eyes shot to the wall clock. "Snap! I have to get to the hospital! Eileen will kill me if I'm late! But, let's go by and get the rings on the way, Francis."

Now Lucre stopped, a surprised but pleased look on his face. "You want me to go with you?"

Drakken nodded as he collected his coat from the closet. "Well, at least as far as the jewelers, your cousin doesn't trust me much, does he?"

Lucre shrugged. "Don't take it personally, Doc, trust is not something that comes easy to him. Divorced four times."

"Hmm. Oh, by the way Francis, would you be in the market for a lair of your own?"

0000000000

"My girl is not all present and accounted for." Bernie snapped out of her fugue and looked up to see Monique standing besides her seat. Bernie had been staring at the door to the cockpit, where Shego had taken refuge. At least, Bernie suspected Shego was avoiding her, and discussing what Drakken had told the nurse that morning. Now she focused her attention on the obviously troubled teen next to her.

The plane they were flying in was private, a twelve seat executive jet which was owned by Bernie's father. Bernie had primarily insisted on taking it rather than the perfectly adequate six-seater Shego owned mainly so Shego herself wouldn't have to fly, and could enjoy the flight as a passenger.

Now Bernie turned in her seat to look at Kim, who was staring out the window adjacent to her seat, lost in her own thoughts. Bonnie and Tara were seated farther back in the cabin, chatting animatedly. Bernie sighed, and looked at Monique. "Been distracted, has she?"

Monique nodded solemnly. "Major distracted! I mean, I've got one smile out of her since we took off, and only polite interest about things she'd usually be all ears over. Like the latest Mankey news. That boy was a washout as a boyfriend, but he's a great source of gossip, even Kim can't help listening! But not today, she's just not into girl talk." The girl leaned closer and lowered her voice, even further, even though she had already had it pitched low, "Is it going to be like that last crisis? Or is it still the same one?"

Bernie considered the question, then shook her head. "I don't think so, nothing as bad. Mostly because it's not buried in her subconscious, but clear in her mind. I think her problem is that she can't make sense of it herself, and that's frustrating her. I'll go talk to her, see if I can get her to open up." Monique nodded and stepped back as Bernie rose and headed for the seat next to Kim.

Bernie gave Kim a minute to notice her, before putting a friendly smile on her face and touching the girl's shoulder. Kim turned to look at her, still partly distracted, only to blink in surprise when she saw Bernie. She looked around and spotted Monique watching her with a concerned expression from what had been Bernie's seat. She smiled faintly. "Worried Monique enough to call out the big guns?" She asked quietly.

Bernie half-shrugged, then asked "What's wrong, Kim? Same thing, what happened at the bus crash?"

Kim hesitated, but shook her head. "That still bothers me, but just now, it was about Ron. I can't understand why..why he would ever be _scared_ of me. I mean, I'd never, ever hit him! Well, not hard enough to really hurt, and only a slap to wake him up, I did that once. And why does he look so scared when he messes up? I can't believe he'd think I'd leave him over anything he did."

Bernie paused for a moment, then smiled. "Well, first time we've talked about boys together since you were ten. And the main subject hasn't changed, Ron."

Km rolled her eyes, but then smiled back, blushing faintly.(Bernie took note at how it was still possible to realize she _was _blushing) "Yeah, but the questions are sure different!" Then she grew serious. "But, what about me scaring Ron? I don't want him scared of me!"

Bernie sighed deeply. "Kim, fear is a very deceitful emotion, you don't always attach it to it's true cause. For instance, Ron's fears may be one and the same. He's afraid of being hurt by you, and afraid of you leaving him. But, he doesn't want to admit the _way_ he expects this to happen, so he hitches the fear to a different variation..or maybe definition, of those fears."

Kim's brow furrowed deeply in concentration. "Leave him? Hurt him? At the same time? I still don't...oh." She pursed her lips and lost focus briefly as she considered what had just occurred to her. "Oblivious, much?" She said softly.

"I might be wrong.." Bernie began, but Kim shook her head sharply.

"No, you're right, I get it." Kim shook her head, then turned to look out the window. "But why couldn't he say something? Doesn't _he_ know?"

"Subconsciously, maybe." Bernie replied, "But he knows better then to ask for you to give up missions, Kim. He's not alone, you know. Lots of people who love others in high-risk jobs want to ask them to quit, but usually know that to do so would be unfair. Not a question of choosing between the job and them..rather, it shouldn't be about that, sometimes to some people, it is. But with Ron, he doesn't want to ask, I think he recognizes your need to do this, the way you'd feel if it was denied you. You may one day choose to stop, but he doesn't want to be the reason that you do. So, he chooses, consciously or not, to live with the fear. It's his choice, Kim, and he deals with it the best he can. Being Ron..." She shrugged.

Kim had turned to face Bernie again as she talked, and now a faint grin appeared on her face as she nodded. "Being Ron..."

0000000000

Summer Gale came to an abrupt halt, an ugly frown growing on her face. This wasn't orthopedics, this was _Obstetrics! _She briefly wondered if the receptionist downstairs had steered her wrong on purpose, or made an honest mistake. _"And if it was a deliberate bum steer, did I earn it by not simply admitting that I was here to interview the Flaggs? WHY did I have to make up a lame reason, when I had legitimate business?"_ She shook her head angrily, spun around, and knocked some papers from another woman's hands by accident.

Not that she intended to assume the blame. In fact, she had her mouth open to chastise the other woman for her clumsiness when she saw the collapsible cane, the shaded glasses..."Oh! I'm so sorry, let me help you..." She bent quickly to collect the papers, and couldn't help reading the printed headings. She was careful not to crumple the braille sheets as she picked them up. Summer had a favorite aunt who had lost her sight, and a blind person was just someone who she could never exercise her spite on.

She put the papers in proper order as she apologized. "This is unforgivable, but someone directed me to the wrong ward. I wanted Orthopedics, you see. So.." She smiled as she read the top sheet, "Your first child?"

The woman blushed slightly as she nodded. She was a pleasant looking woman in her early forties, Summer noted, with light brown hair cut short, dressed neatly an stylishly. The only true flaw in her features were her ears, which were a little on the small side. Another thing Summer noticed was the lack of a wedding ring.

"Yes, this wasn't exactly planned, but we're both okay with it." The woman replied.

Summer nodded. "So one of you got careless? Have a good excuse, or do you even know when it may have happened?" She asked lightly. She was now just making conversation, she needed to disengage and get to Orthopedics.

The woman winced."Well, it would be easiest to blame Drew, but I strongly suspect I may need to assume the responsibility here."

"Oh, never assume it if it isn't necessary, men usually can't remember whether they were careful or not!" Summer replied, then looked at her watch, before realizing the gesture was useless here. "I really have to get going, to catch my..."

"Eileen?" The one word, spoken in a voice that Summer immediately recognized, caused her to make the connection.._"Drakken? DREW Lipsky?!" _Not that it should have been obvious, there were plenty of 'Drews' around, but stil...She spun around to face the elevator, from which the Mayor of Middleton had just emerged, and was standing with a frown on his face as he saw the two women. Frugal Lucre was standing beside him, squinting suspiciously at the reporter.

"Um, as I was saying, I _really _need to hurry to catch up with the people.." she spoke hastily as she moved to put Eileen between her and Drakken. "It was nice chatting with you, though, and I hope the baby's healthy and everything."

Confused by Summer's obvious nervousness, mixed with her happiness at hearing Drew's voice, Eileen's face assumed a bemused expression as she replied, "Of course, and thank you for being considerate."

"No problem!" Summer assured her hastily, before turning and rapidly walking back the way she'd originally come, back tense, resisting the urge to look back and see if Drakken had some sort of sinister device in his hand, or his henchman..okay, that was a stretch, but it was panic-time, here...was following her.

Drakken had reached Eileen by now, still scowling fiercely at the retreating back of the reporter. As he took Eileen's hands and prepared to distractedly kiss her cheek, Lucre tapped him on the shoulder. "Think that's going to be trouble, boss?"

Drakken winced as Eileen pulled back a bit, frowning. "Trouble? That woman?"

Drakken shot an unhappy glance at Lucre, who wasn't paying attention, anyway, then nodded grimly. "Yes, my Dear. You see, that woman was...

0000000000

"But what if something had happened while I was on 'auto-pilot', that someone needed to know, like the doctors, and I had forgotten it?" Kim asked Bernie urgently, "I know there's still a little gray area there, after the Rescue Squad arrived, and I briefed them. I remember helping guide the stretchers up the slope to the ambulances, me and Ron, but just after we reached the top, there's still a gap, before I found myself with that cup of coffee in my hands."

Bernie shook her head. "Kim, I don't know. These memory things are tricky, I have a thirty-one minute gap...your problem may have been denial. That first bad incident may have shocked you so badly, that one way you worked through it was to subconsciously reassure yourself it wouldn't happen again, but then it did. But that's just a guess, really."

Kim nodded, but she had been partially distracted now from her own problems. However, she wasn't sure if Bernie wanted her to ask...then someone else did it for her.

"What was the thirty-one minute gap from?" Startled, they both looked up to see Shego standing there. As usual, they had been oblivious to her arrival until she made her presence known.

"What, is this something you just can't help, being sneaky?" Bernie asked in an annoyed tone.

Shego shrugged. "I am what I am." She replied unapologetically. "Now, what was that all about?"

Bernie hesitated, then shook her head. "Not now, it's not such a big thing, just a rookie experience exacerbated by a major jerk! Maybe later, but not now, okay?"

Kim was actually embarrassed to have to hide her own disappointment, while Shego gave Bernie a sour look, then nodded. "Fair is Fair, I guess." Then she smirked at Kim "Close your mouth, Kimmie, you might have to actually get used to me saying things like that!"

Kim, who's mouth hadn't _really_ been that open, glowered at her former nemesis, then nodded towards the cockpit. "You get tired of flying the plane?" She saw Shego fidget slightly at the question.

"The guys have it, I was just talking to them." Shego responded blithely. She saw Bernie giving her a suspicious look, and rolled her eyes. "Fine! I felt a little tired, thought I'd catch a little nap for the rest of the trip, okay?" She didn't wait for a reply, but stalked aft to the rear most seats.

Bernie watched her go, then started to rise, hesitated, then stood up, shaking her head slightly. "That can wait for later, too." She smiled at Kim. "Think I'll switch with Monique, so she can pump you for an explanation. Otherwise, she'll probably bust before we land!" Kim feigned a grimace as she watched her former baby-sitter return to her own seat, and Monique heading her way, obviously bursting with questions. Kim did the only thing she could do, short of pretending to take a nap herself, put on a brave smile and brace for the onslaught.

0000000000

"Summer Gale!" Eileen was shocked, "You mean, she was taking advantage of me.."

Drakken took her by the shoulders. "Calm down, Dear. Actually, she was so surprised to see me, I suspect she actually didn't know."

Eileen went from outraged to crestfallen. "But now she does, so we can assume everyone will by tomorrow. I'm sorry, Drew."

He patted her shoulder lightly. "It's hardly your fault, my Dear. Maybe if I'd let you actually hear her voice rather then change channel every time she came on...I do wonder which of my personal avatars of misfortune was responsible for this encounter? I have the peculiar feeling one of them did, but can't think of how...in any event, this just means we have to make things official a little earlier then planned."

Now Eileen became serious. "Drew, I don't want this to make you rush any decisions about us, do you understand?" She asked sternly.

"Perfectly, My Dear, and it isn't. I had already decided what I intended to do, and am fully prepared to carry out those intents!"

A skeptical look came over Eileen's face. "And I suppose you have a ring on you, as proof of your decision?"

Drakken shook his head. He was acutely aware that they had an audience of a dozen people. "No I don't." Eileen began to nod, and the listeners to display a variety of reactions, when Drew continued, "Actually, I have three rings on me, one for the engagement, and two for the ceremony."

There was a collective intake of breath from the audience, even the three-hundred pound male orderly, as Eileen's jaw dropped, and then her knees went weak. Drakken braced her. "I—I think I need to sit down." She stammered.

Drakken put his arm around her waist and guided her to a seat. A woman in the adjacent one collected her things and moved so Drew could sit down as well. He nodded gratefully to her. Francis Lerman, meanwhile, was standing with arms folded across his chest, still staring down the corridor where Summer Gale had long since disappeared. He had a stern look on his face, as if he was standing guard against the return of the woman or one of her colleagues.

"Whoa." Eileen said after a few moments. Then she looked where she knew Drew to be. "You know I'm from Missouri, right?" She 'felt' Drew's smile, but when she sensed him sliding from his seat to the floor, her body tensed involuntarily. Then he took hold of her left hand and held it in a significant manner.

"Eileen Marie Askew, you have been deprived of one of your most vital senses. And it truly pains me to ask you to prove to the rest of the world that you've lost even more sense then that, but will you do so, by agreeing to be my bride?"

She did hesitate, and mentally scolded herself for doing so as she nodded happily. "Of course I will, Drew Theodore P. Lipsky!" She managed in a choked voice. Then she felt him put the ring on her finger, Francis going "Ahhh...", and applause from those watching.

Then Drakken lifted her to her feet and embraced her, and they engaged in a deep, long kiss. When they broke it, and she rested her chin on his shoulder, she whispered in his ear "Not the way you planned it, huh?"

He chuckled softly. "No, my vision involved James Possible holding me in an armlock, and Anne hovering around holding, of all things, a cricket bat." He shrugged. "As usual, my plans have failed to come to fruition as I envisaged, and for once, I don't mind a bit!"

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

It's happening again, the extra content keeps coming to mind, and sneaking onto the page. Hope no one minds, I still intend this to be much shorter then it's predecessor. Oh, well, at least I did get the proposal in.

Please Read and Review


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kim Possible, any of the other characters from that show, or those from any other media I may reference in my stories.

Thanks to Reader101w, Screaming Phoenix, Katsumara, CajunBear73, King in Yellow, and Michael Howard for their reviews of Chapter four.

* * *

"Jean Stoppable."

"It's Drew, Jean, and I have a big favor to ask. Can you take care of things tomorrow? I have something to do that might delay me getting in."

"Well, of course it'd be no problem, but--"

"Thanks very much, Jean. You see, I have to go tell my mother that not only have I proposed marriage to a woman I haven't even introduced her to, but I'm going to become a father, as well."

"…........"

"Jean?"

"Is the Deputy Mayor always the last to know?"

"Hmm, I think so, along with Vice Presidents and Fathers of the Bride, I believe."

"Ah, well...have you any ideas who you'd like to have speak at your memorial service?"

"Now, mother doesn't indulge in violence...but you know, once upon a time, I did envision a memorial service for myself..."

"Whatever for?"

"Oh, this was just after college, I thought I'd be a great scientist, world renowned, you know. Envisioned having a group of Nobel Laureates reading eulogies when I passed on."

"Not having started your career, you already envisioned how it'd end? A bit morbid, Drew."

"Well, it didn't seem so at the time. Anyway, the reason I'm in a rush is that Summer Gale has found out about my becoming a father.."

"Damn that woman! I...sorry, Drew, but she just...I was rather selfishly happy when she couldn't remember Ron's name when her feud with Kim began. No that her jabs at Kim didn't make me angry, but...so, are you going to try and make a public announcement before she airs the story?"

"I'm considering my options, and resisting the temptation to use extreme methods...in any event, if you can take a load of my shoulders tomorrow, it would be greatly appreciated!"

"Well, there's one thing I believe I should mention, Drew."

"What's that?"

"Tomorrow's Saturday."

"Oh...Hmmm, well...have a nice weekend, Jean."

"You too, Drew. Luck with your mother."

000000000

"Hey, Ron."

"KP! How's my BFGF enjoying the tropics?"

"Not so good, we just got to the house we're staying in, there were delays, and delays...bottom line, we're too tired to do anything but crash right now. How did your historical research go, and how's Brick?"

"Eh, the historical research got sidetracked after I visited Brick, needed to work off a little frustration, and forgot the history stuff."

"Is Brick all right?"

"Oh, yeah! I mean for someone with a compound leg fracture, he's good. His Mom spent twenty minutes thanking me for saving him, though, that was kind of embarrassing. His Dad, though..."

"...what happened, Ron?"

"It's nothing, KP, I worked it all out. He was just being a jerk, that's all."

"Hmm, why do I think there's more to it then that? Anyway,listen, when we get back, we need to talk about some things, like why you're scared of me at times."

"KP, that's just me being silly, don't worry about that! It's just my insecurities getting the better of me."

"No, it's more then that, and it was totally unfair of me to bring it up when I can't discuss it with you. And if I tell you not to worry about it until I get back, you'll probably obsess over it...so don't, it's nothing you can resolve yourself, just wait, and when I get back Sunday evening, we can go out for a late soda, hopefully, and talk, okay?"

"Um...okay, anything you say, Kim."

"I totally messed up, didn't I? Ron...I love you, just focus on that until you see me again, Please?"

"That's easy, KP, I can always focus on that. See you Sunday, then?"

"See you Sunday. Love You."

"Love you back, Kim."

0000000000

Kim sighed despondently as she disconnected. She really shouldn't have brought the fear thing up just then. Ron always worried about things like that. Which was good, sometimes, but this time it was unnecessary. She looked around and realized she was alone, standing in the circular driveway where the taxi which had driven them from the airport had dropped them off, her suitcase at her side. She couldn't see much of the single story house they'd be occupying in the dark, but the feel of the warm breeze should have lifted her spirits a great deal more then it had.

Suddenly lights went on around the front door, over the garage, and at the corners of the house. She blinked in the sudden illumination. "Kim, are you all right?" Came Bernie's voice from the doorway.

"I'm fine." She responded, "Almost started marinating there, though." She picked up her bag and headed in, fixing a smile on her face for Bernie's sake.

Inside, the others had gathered, Shego tapping her foot as she gave Kim a disapproving frown. Kim smiled wanly as she joined them.

"All, right! We have three bedrooms, each with two beds and it's own bath, so we're pairing up," Shego announced, "I'm assuming it'll be Kim and Monique, Bonnie and Tara, Bernie and me. Am I right?" No objections occurred, so they all carried their bags to their respective rooms. And as Kim had not exaggerated their fatigue, they prepared for bed.

"I'm just saying that you should have had an X-Ray before you left England, then they might have found that thing in you!" Bernie was saying to Shego as she sorted out her pajamas.

"Yeah, well, I didn't want to hang around with people who used me for bait, you know?" Shego replied acidly, "And who says they'd have had any means of getting the damn thing out, anyway? So just drop it, okay?"

Bernie held back her anger, shaking her head. "Look, I worry about you, is that all right?" She snapped, then took her pajamas and headed for the bathroom. She didn't quite slam the door behind her, but Shego flinched slightly, nevertheless, as she looked thoughtfully at the closed door.

Later, Bernie dropped in on Kim and Monique, but just to ask if Kim was experiencing anything out of the ordinary, dizziness, anything at all. Kim assured her that nothing seemed out of sorts physically. Mentally, things were still a bit confused.

"Things will get better, Kim." Bernie said confidently, "You're not the type to become a victim, and that's pretty much what's going on here. The stuff in your brain, the tragedies, all those things are not enough to put you down for the count, I know you." She was sitting on the edge of Kim's bed.

Kim smiled faintly. "Sure you're not confusing this Kim with the little girl who didn't know any better? The one that thought everything had a simple solution?"

"Far as I'm concerned, they're one and the same, Kim." Bernie replied, smiling fondly, "She may have taken a few blows to her naiveté, but she's still there."

"I hope you're right." Kim responded honestly. Then she looked Bernie in the eye. "The half-hour you mentioned, was it about the...incident we were both involved in?"

Bernie sighed, and shook her head. "No, it was something else, earlier in my naval career. In fact, _very_ early in my naval career! But, not feeling like talking about it tonight, okay? Maybe another time, I'll tell you and Shego both."

"And leave me dying of curiosity?" Monique asked, looking up from the romance novel she was reading.

Bernie grinned as Kim snorted. "We'll see, Monique, but it's not a story I like telling." Bernie told the girl.

"Well in that case, maybe I don't want to hear it." Monique replied archly, returning to her book.

Bernie and Kim both rolled their eyes, then Bernie stood, yawning. "Guess we all better get some sleep, guys, see you in the morning."

Much later, after all the others were asleep, Shego rose and padded silently out of her room, taking her cellphone with her. She went out through the sliding glass doors at the rear of the house, into the pool area. The breeze was still blowing gently, the moon waning above. After taking a deep breath, she began to drift about the yard, deep in thought. After about ten minutes, she activated her cellphone and placed a call.

A sleepy voice answered her call. "Doctor D? I know it's late, and I'm sorry I woke you, but..." Shego was suddenly at a loss for words.

"Shego? What's the matter? Has something happened to you?" Sleepiness faded quickly from Drakken's voice as his concern grew.

"What? No—no, Doc, I'm sorry, I should have decided what to say before I bothered you! Gimme a sec, let me put this right..." Shego tried not to mutter to herself in exasperation, and finally took a deep breath and plunged ahead. "When we first met, and I agreed to work for you, you were too self-centered to...care much about me, right?"

"Or much of anything else other than my own needs, Shego." Drakken replied, obviously curious as to where this conversation was going.

"But..at some point, you began to actually worry about me, care about me, in some way?" Shego grimaced slightly, those weren't the best choice of words, she _so_ hoped Drakken didn't misinterpret her meaning.

"Well, of course I did, eventually. But it was still partly selfish! Because you stayed with me, for whatever reason, I began to count on our relationship, I suppose is the way I'd put it, as a constant in my life. And just then, I wanted something 'stable' in my life. Odd choice, I know. I didn't know if you noticed, or took it seriously."

Shego smiled ruefully, even though Drakken couldn't see it. "Oh, I noticed, Doc, believe me. I mean, _Stoppable _noticed, for heaven's sake! But I never acknowledged it, did I?"

"Not openly, Shego, but then again, it wasn't in your nature to do so."

Shego nodded to herself. "Yeah, Doc, that _was_ true. But, I'm not that woman anymore, so...Thanks, Doc, for caring, and worrying, whatever your reasons may have been. I guess in a way, you are family to me...hope that doesn't sound silly."

She heard him chuckle. "Shego, I may never have actually called us 'evil family', but I have to say, the feeling is entirely mutual. Oh! Speaking of family...I popped the question to Eileen."

Shego's jaw dropped. "What!? Doc, I thought you were going to wait until you told your Mom, or did you?"

"Er, no. Doing that tomorrow. I'll tell you why when you get back. Speaking of which, how are things there?"

Shego frowned, she knew he was holding something back. But right now was hardly the time to try and pry it out of him. "Got here late, there were problems at Customs..in fact, there were problems even landing! Hope to get some sun and rest tomorrow. Unfortunately, I know you won't. Good Luck with Mama, I'll let you get back to sleep. Night, Doctor D."

"Thank You, and goodnight, Shego."

Shego stayed outside for several minutes after the call ended. Doctor Drakken was definitely hiding something he knew would irritate, if not outright upset her. But again, there was nothing to be done, unless she terminated the whole 'day off in paradise' bit, which she honestly couldn't.

She headed back inside still preoccupied by her thoughts, and uncharacteristically managed to rouse Bernie with her entrance to their room. "Shego? What's up?" She asked sleepily.

"Nothing, go back to sleep...and yes, it's all right."

"...hmm?"

Shego smiled faintly. "Back to sleep, I'll explain it all in the morning."

0000000000

"Brick's Dad thinks that Brick is going to have a pro career as a quarterback, that's why he's so upset." Bonnie announced with a hint of sarcasm, "Never made the pros himself, not even sure he managed to start in college, so I guess he's living vicariously through Brick."

All six young women were by the pool, letting their breakfasts digest while catching some sun. Shego, Bonnie, Tara and Bernie were clad in bikinis, roughly in reverse order of skimpiness, while Kim and Monique were in one-piece suits. Kim basically because she had never bought a bikini yet, while Monique's fashion choice had been dictated by biology, hers, specifically. Sunglasses and liberal coats of suntan oil or sunscreen were also in evidence.

"Any chance he'll get his wish, provided the kid's leg heals up strong?" Shego asked idly.

Bonnie snorted. "Not likely! Poor Brick could never memorize the playbook in High School, even with my help! I seriously doubt he'll manage a pro playbook. In fact, that may be why he didn't get much action this past year, he probably can't manage to get their playbook down."

Monique peered at the brunette over the tops of her sunglasses. "You helped him remember his playbook? How?"

A look of mild shock crossed Bonnie's face, and she blushed slightly. "Let's just say, I came up with a great memory-association system. At least it was great until he had to call an audible..." She winced as she remembered the incident.

"Some of his terminology was unsuitable for public use?" Monique asked cheekily. Bonnie shot her a dirty look. Then she shifted her attention to Kim.

"Possible, was your boyfriend serious when he suggested you explain your skin color to Customs by saying you were 'Pre-Sunburned, to save time'?"

Kim grinned. "To tell the truth, I'm only eighty-percent sure he wasn't serious!"

Tara lowered her sunglasses to peer at Kim, then squinted her eyes, and made to speak. But Monique unwittingly cut her off "Girlfriend, you're going to have to keep an eye on that boy when you've got him hitched to you! He's way too creative up top, and he _has_ been known to be a bit dishonest with you!"

Kim's grin became wistful. "I know, and I'd like to say he'd never lie about something important...but, I don't think he's capable of doing anything he knows would cause me pain...well, other then pulling a _humongous_ splinter out of me once, but that's different!"

"Kim.." Tara began, but Bonnie cut in.

"So, he's never written anything in any of his stories that hurt you?" Her tone was just curious, with no innuendo in it.

Kim shrugged. "Stung me a little, but he meant to, and I have to admit I deserved them at the time. Tells you something about me at the time, that he had to go that route for me to pay attention. I love him, and I take him for granted already, what will it be like when we're married! Were you trying to tell me something, Tara?"

"Just that your skin is changing color again."

"WHAT!" Burst from four throats, as almost as one all the others whipped off their sunglasses to stare at Kim. Kim herself unintentionally sent her own glasses into the pool, but lost interest as she stared in surprise at her arms. "Whoa..."

As Bernie jumped up to move swiftly to Kim's side, Bonnie observed "There are people who would kill for skin that color without the risk of skin cancer, how do these things keep happening to you, Possible?" Despite the nature of the comment, there was a note of concern in Bonnie's voice.

"Just because it looks good..." Bernie muttered as she knelt down next to Kim, studying the change in her skin critically. It now appeared to have a deep bronze tan, except... "It's shiny, and not naturally." She observed. She looked at Kim's cleavage. "It might be a reaction to your sunscreen, does it extend to skin you didn't apply it to?"

Kim blinked, startled, then checked. "Um, looks like I'm still red under my suit."

"Did you bring your Kimmunicator, and all the medical attachments?" Bernie asked her. Kim nodded. "Okay, let's go in the house, contact Loretta, your Mom, maybe that dermatologist, and let them get a look at this."

The other four watched the pair vanish into the house. "And that leaves us all out here, wondering and worrying about what's going on." Bonnie groused.

"Well, Kim might find it too embarrassing to have us all hovering around her." Tara pointed out.

"So, unless one of us comes up with a legitimate reason to go eavesdrop on them, we're stuck!" Monique added sourly. Then Shego passed her, headed for the house. "Hello?"

Shego shrugged "Since when do I need an excuse to eavesdrop? It's the way I rock." She sauntered towards the back door.

"And you'll come back an tell us what's going on?" Bonnie called after her hopefully. Shego just smirked back at them as she went inside. "Bitch!" Bonnie muttered.

"Professional Grade." Monique agreed, then the pair exchanged quick grins.

Inside, it took a few minutes to get Kim hooked up. The process involved her Kimmunicator, another device disguised as an MP3 player, and five leads attached to various parts of her body. The number of leads had grown from three to five recently, though all could be placed with Kim in her underwear. This time, though, her one-piece suit was in the way, so she quickly changed out of it, into boy shorts-style underwear and a halter top. In the process, she made a discovery.

Bernie studied a visibly shrinking red blotch around Kim's navel as Kim placed the leads. It was now all that was left of the odd coloring resulting from the Tweebs' experiment. "Whatever is happening is spreading, obviously!" The nurse muttered. She turned to where the Kimmunicator was propped up on a table between two wicker chairs, one of which Kim now occupied. "Wade, is your Mom there, yet?" Loretta Load had been a Hospital Corpsman, First Class, in the Navy, and had always been responsible for the medical scans done of Kim on her missions, a fact Ron omitted from his versions of events, at Mrs Load's request.

"I'm here, Bernie, just making sure Doctor Yawatiz and Anne Possible were hooked up. Now, let's get this scan started, shall we." In fact, the scan was run twice, and a Kim grew frustrated at the number of times that changes in the signal indicated the three people on the other end had cut the audio to discuss things among themselves.

Bernie noticed Kim's increased fidgeting, and gave her a reassuring smile. She also noticed a suspicious shadow on the wall, and decided to give Kim a little distraction. "You can stop lurking around the corner Shego, your shadow is giving you away!"

Shego snorted and stepped into view, but only far enough to lean nonchalantly against the wall. "So, is she all golden, now?"

Kim, at first startled by Shego's appearance, checked her belly. "Yep, all the red's gone. Now the question is, is that a good thing, or a bad one?"

"Would you settle for 'we don't know yet'?" Anne Possible's voice came from the Kimmunicator, "All we can tell is that there's an unidentified chemical permeating your skin, Kim. But it's only in your outer dermis, not spreading deeper."

"Do you think it's a chemical reaction between whatever your sons made, the sun, or the sunscreen Kim applied, or all of the above?" Bernie asked as Kim grimaced in annoyance.

"Sunscreen?" Came a high-pitched female voice that had to be Doctor Yawatiz, "Did you apply the contacts where sunscreen had been, because there's no trace of it anywhere in the tests."

Kim ran her fingers over the skin of her upper arms. "Well, I did clean the contact area with an alcohol swab, but now that you mention it, I can't feel any sign of the sunscreen on my arms, and I didn't wash it off."

"So we have to assume it was altered by whatever process you're undergoing." Loretta Load chimed in "Sorry to keep you hanging, Kimberly, but we need to consult a bit longer, maybe bring in another expert Doctor Y suggested. Just hang in there, we'll be back to you shortly." Then the connection was closed before Kim could reply. She growled in frustration.

Shego strolled over and plopped down in the other wicker chair, then caught Bernie's eye "Well, since I don't suppose we should let Kimmie out in the sunlight again, less she turn to stone, or something, how about you tell us about that missing half-hour of yours?" She suggested.

Bernie made a face, but nodded. "Short version. My first shipboard assignment was on an underway replenishment ship that was part of a carrier group in the Med. I flew out to her from Naples by helicopter. Another Corpsman, my new bunkmate, met me on the landing pad with the news that the Senior Medical Officer and half our personnel were on the flagship dealing with an outbreak of food poisoning apparently caused by someone breaking regs and storing something he picked up on shore leave in the main fridge in the ship's galley."

Bernie got up and moved to a love seat, also wicker, with flower-print cushions. She settled down before resuming. "Anyway, she made a facetious remark about how bad it would be if something happened aboard our ship just then, since the guy left in charge was, quote, 'a real jerk'. Anyway, I had barely dropped my sea bag on my rack when there was an explosion, somewhere far away in the ship, but we still felt it. It was an accident, in one of the compartments up forward, and there was a major fire as a consequence. Five sailors died, and a dozen more were injured or burned, some very badly."

"We went straight to sick bay, and the 'jerk', an HC1, immediately tells me 'I've been in the Navy twelve years, so you'd better listen when I tell you to do something!' Which in itself was kind of disconcerting, he was my superior, I was supposed to obey his orders because of that, so when he insisted..." Bernie shook her head. "Anyway, this guy had a lot of transfers in his career."

"They brought in one guy early, and he was _very_ badly burned, over almost his whole body, and the jerk wrote him off in his head, right then. But then he looks at me, 'take care of this one, he's all yours.' He had the guys who brought him in put him off in one corner, and I went over to work on him, too overwhelmed to question anything." She paused "I'm a little dry, let me get a soda before I go on."

Kim and Shego exchanged concerned, and angry, glances as Bernie headed into the kitchen, to return in a few moments with a can of soda. "If the jerk wrote this guy off, why did he put you to work, alone, on him?" Shego asked.

Bernie sat back down, distracted by her thoughts, then shook her head. "He gave two different reasons to two different people. He told a guy at the time that he was getting me out of the way, so the 'rookie' wouldn't screw up the treatment of the ones that _could_ be saved. But, he later told the SMO that he was 'tossing me in the deep end, to see if I could hack it'. Both times, he was saying something he thought would find a sympathetic ear, and both times, he was wrong."

She paused, staring at the soda can in her hands, lost in her memories. "I don't remember anything from the point after I saw how severely the boy was burned, and thought 'how do I do this?', to the point thirty-one minutes later, by the log, when the SMO practically gave me a heart attack by bellowing right beside me 'What the hell is going on, why is only one corpsman, who isn't even properly dressed, dealing with the most severe case!' I swear, I was almost certain I was going to get in trouble because I was still wearing the uniform I came aboard in, I actually never realized he was actually more angry at the whole situation. I vaguely remember the jerk trying to explain, and getting cut off, then the SMO took over treating my patient."

Bernie came out of her reverie and met their gazes. "He had already seen that I was...out of it, I guess you could say. He had a female sailor take me out of sick bay, sit me down, and get me something to drink. But I thought he was mad at me, that I'd messed things up somehow. I was so out of it that some of the other girls..saw this on a TV show, heh... the other corpsman had to help me take a shower and put me to bed. Uniform was ruined..." She sighed deeply, then continued in a firmer tone, "Next morning the SMO and the Captain both congratulated me on keeping the patient alive."

Seeing a hint of relief in her audience's faces, she smiled. "Yeah, he survived. They didn't ask me why I didn't ask for help, they knew...some of the others apologized, they had wanted to help...the jerk had one corpsman repeat a blood-pressure test on a guy with a slight concussion, had another...it was almost as if he was afraid to have his first judgment be proven wrong, by having the guy survive!" Bernie threw her hands up as she said the last few words bitterly. "I don't know what went through his mind, he was transferred off the ship a week later, and I saw very little of him before that. My patient was flown off the ship before I even woke up the day after, to a proper burn unit." Bernie grimaced and smiled apologetically. "Sorry to be so random. But to this day I _cannot_ remember treating that boy, not one thing I did to keep him alive."

"But you saved him, that's what really counts." Kim told her. Shego, about to say practically the same thing, just nodded agreement.

Bernie nodded decisively. "Of course, that's what counts. Still, I was dealing with a living nightmare, and now it's gone from my head, it just sometimes feels so strange." She looked from one to the other, "There, satisfied? I can't call that my worst nightmare, because I can't remember it, and it would have been overshadowed by the experience when I was captive of those..." She broke off, realizing she had leaned down to rub her lower leg just above her artificial foot. "Um, think I'll go change out of this bikini, give a yell if they call back."

As soon as she was out of the room, Kim leaned towards Shego. "What kind of guy does that sort of thing? And in the US Navy?!" She asked in a low tone.

"Bernie made a good point, the fact the guy felt he had to proclaim his authority shows he had no business being in charge. He showed he could have had any of a number of hang-ups." Shego replied, then scowled thoughtfully. "Think I'll go back to the pool and torment your friends by not telling them anything. Hope you get good news on the skin thing." She said this in an oddly distracted manner, before rising and leaving Kim alone.

In any event, Shego missed nothing important, as the word came from Middleton that nothing conclusive had been determined. Anne asked if Kim felt like coming back early, or felt odd at all, but the girl insisted that she felt fine. She also felt compelled to warn her mother against any testing that might put the older woman at risk, until they determined something, anything about what had happened to Kim.

A chef arrived to prepare an early dinner for the six, and to put it mildly, they packed it away in earnest. It took an hour or two of immobility before anyone felt like standing up, or doing something ambitious, like walking from one room to another.

Eventually, however, Shego announced that she was hauling Bernie out clubbing, to clubs where the other young women could not gain entrance. She even admitted it was one reason to bring the three extra girls, to keep Kim company while the two older women enjoyed the night life.

"What clubs are you planning to visit?" Bonnie asked innocently.

Bernie fixed her with a gimlet eye. "That's for us to know and you to find out the hard way, if we find you in any of them!"

Shego smirked slightly behind Bernie's back before adding "Besides, they're real good at carding at the door. You'd need first class fake ID to get in, and the only guy on the island who could give it to you...hang on, I've got _his_ card here somewhere..." Then she caught Bernie's sharp glare, and Kim's eye roll. "Kidding, kidding! Now come on, get that white dress on, and let's boogie!"

Ignoring the curious stares of the four girls, Bernie put her hands on her hips. "What makes you think I brought it? After all, it was just a bit risqué for me, as I believe I mentioned before?" She asked. Then her eyes narrowed warily when Shego's smile widened, gaining a decidedly predatory aspect .

"Well, if that's the case, you can always use a new dress, and I know where to get one that should fit you just fine!" The ex-thief proclaimed cheerfully.

Bernie chewed her lip nervously. "Um, maybe if I looked in my suitcase..."

Shego shook her head, still smiling widely. "Oh, no! As you said, much too risqué! I'm sure we can get a new one that doesn't make you feel so self-conscious! Now, just come with Auntie Shego, and we'll climb into that lovely little Jag in the garage.." That caused Bonnie's and Monique's eyes to widen, none of the girls had checked out the available transportation.."And cruise on down to my friend's little dress shop, and we'll have you fitted out in no time!" She took hold of Bernie's arm, and began dragging the not too-resistant nurse towards the door.

Bernie did direct a pleading look at the four teens, but they just grinned and trailed them to the door, and out. Shego continued to pull Bernie towards the garage, as the others drifted out onto the driveway. Then Kim's head tilted as she listened to a faint sound. She started to drift towards the road, towards the opening in the low wall surrounding the property through which the driveway passed.

Even over the sound of the garage door opening, Monique and Tara heard the sound next, and saw where Kim was headed. They started after her. Bonnie noticed where they were going before she heard anything, but also began to drift towards the road.

Inside the garage, it took a moment longer, but Shego's smile suddenly vanished as she waved the keys to the Jaguar at Bernie, who was on the passenger side. Suddenly alert, Shego stalked back out of the garage, with a puzzled Bernie following. "What's up?" Then she too heard it. A siren, coming closer.

She and Shego saw Kim, Tara, and Monique stopped at the entry, looking down the road towards town, as the roar of an engine at speed began to increase. Kim suddenly waved her arms, and all three stepped back a bit as Bonnie joined them.

The two older women were only halfway across the circular drive when the source of the loud engine noise shot past the entry, brakes suddenly squealing loudly, and the clear sounds of an out-of-control skid reached them, terminating in a loud crash. All four girls started towards the crash before Shego and Bernie could reach the gate, Shego reaching it first.

Bernie, arriving last, turned the corner to behold an old blue four-door sedan jammed against a tree sideways, just beyond a bend in the road a little ways past the house. There were also two young girls, no more then ten, on the ground close to the wall, one holding her knee and sobbing, the other looking around with wide, frightened eyes. Kim and the others were just running up to them, when the driver's door of the sedan flew open and a man fell out, scrambling to his feet, then running towards them a short distance before turning and plunging off the road on the far side.

"Hey!" Bonnie shouted, and dashed across the road as if to follow him. Bernie turned to look back towards town, trying to gauge how close the police car using it's siren was. Shego veered across the rode and sprinted after Bonnie and the driver, plunging into the foliage beyond the road and out of sight.

Only Kim saw the movement in the rear seat of the sedan, the face at the window...

Beyond the verge of the road, the ground soon dropped away sharply. The driver had made a very awkward descent to the foot of the slope, while Bonnie stopped at the top. Shego plunged straight past her, going down the slope as if it was an open flight of steps. Out of habit, one hand was wrapped in green plasma, a sleek sheath of it, and when the fleeing man looked back and saw what was coming after him, he found the breath to scream...

Then a violent explosion from the road behind her almost caused Bonnie to lose her balance and topple down the slope. Even as she grabbed on to a tree trunk to avoid falling, a scream issued from the direction of the road...

"KIIIIIMM!!!"

* * *

Hmm, didn't plan to end at a cliffhanger, of sorts, but there it is.

Please, Read and Review.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kim Possible, any of the other characters from that show, or those from any other media I may reference in my stories.

I'd like to thank Katsumara, King in Yellow, Michael Howard, Screaming Phoenix, Reader101w, and CajunBear73 for their reviews of the last chapter.

Warning, will not be resolving the cliffhanger in this chapter. Sorry.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

**Somewhat earlier, back in Middleton...**

Doctor Drakken was wondering if his face was going to crack. Not that smiling with Eileen on his arm should have been hard, but with a TV Camera pointed at them both, it suddenly felt like a chore. Rocky Roswell, now the undisputed number one TV News reporter in Middleton with Summer Gale's fall from grace, towered over the happy couple, a big smile on his own face as he interviewed them. "So, you and Miss Askew have been an item for some time, Mayor Lipsky?"

They were all standing on the front steps of City Hall, with a small crowd of the curious around them. When they had heard the announcement, reactions were mixed. Rocky's sound technician had nearly dropped the boom microphone he was holding.

Drakken tightened his grip on Eileen's arm slightly as he nodded and replied "Yes, we've been seeing each other for just over two years now. We kept the relationship secret for a number of reasons, some of which may be obvious to you."

"Yes indeed." Rocky replied. If he was actually clueless as to what Drakken was talking about, it didn't show on his face. "Among other things, I suppose her safety was at risk?"

"At the very least, Rocky." Drakken agreed. "Even now, I have some concerns about how others will react to the news. Mostly due to my reputation and record, of course. But, it was inevitable that we would have to face these difficulties sooner or later. And now, we are!"

"When will the actual wedding be, Mister Mayor?"

Drakken seemed to consider his answer momentarily. "Well, we need to find out for certain if some people are free to attend, or even interested, before we set a date. It will be a civil ceremony, though, that we've decided."

"I see. Well, we all wish you our sincerest congratulations Mayor Lipsky, Miss Askew, and all the happiness in the world." Rocky boomed cheerfully, "This is Rocky Roswell, for Middleton's Number One Action News Station, from City Hall." He held his smile until he received a signal from the camera man that they were off, then nodded and turned to Drakken as he handed his mike to his sound man. "Well, Mister Mayor, there we go, it'll air on the 10 O'Clock News this evening."

Drakken frowned, but nodded. "I understand, hardly a story worth cutting into regular programming. I can only hope it still beats Summer Gale to the punch, I can't imagine why she hasn't already gone on the air with it yet."

Rocky's eyes narrowed. "Summer's got this story?"

"Well.." Drakken shrugged noncommittally, "She doesn't know I proposed, she just heard that we're going to have a baby, a fact she learned...well, to be honest I don't think she deliberately deceived Eileen at the hospital, she seemed far too surprised to see me."

Rocky didn't look convinced, but about what Drakken wasn't sure. "Tell you what, Mister Mayor, I'll see that the engagement announcement is mentioned in the commercials for the news, they should be on every half-hour from seven-thirty on. And as to the baby news, we'll keep that a secret until you choose to make it public."

Drakken considered that, then nodded. "That will have to do, I suppose. Thank You, Mister Roswell, and thank your station manager as well."

After the TV crew had left, Eileen leaned into Drew's arms. She took a deep breath of the crisp cool air. Weather forecasters promised temperatures in the seventies by Monday, this was possibly the last day of winter weather for Middleton this year. Suddenly, she frowned. "Drew, what's wrong? You're still very tense."

He patted her shoulder reassuringly. "Probably nothing, but it still disturbs me that Summer Gale missed an opportunity like this. When your enemies, or opponents, act out of character, it is time to be wary."

000000000

If Ann Possible hadn't been deliberately tuning out her surroundings, she'd have never been taken unawares as she studied a patient's chart at the third floor nurse's station. But she had rapidly grown tired of the whispers and murmurings around her commenting about the unusual color of her skin. The occasional muffled snicker or giggle hadn't helped either.

Plus, she was concerned about the latest development with Kim. The odd chemical detected in her skin continued to stymie experts, it's composition didn't add up as a result of mixing anything in the Tweebs' original formula with the components of the sunscreen Kim used, even when triggered by any form of solar radiation, which was the current theory.

Now, the two boys had admitted that maybe something 'extra' might have gotten in the mix during a tussle they'd had. James was currently at home helping the boys go through their inventory, and Anne worried whether he had taken all the proper precautions. Safe clothing, safe handling procedures, notifying the local HAZMAT unit to be on standby...

"Doctor Possible, I'd like you to come with me, there's been a crisis!" Normally those words would have triggered a prompt and active response from her, but when connected with a certain voice, there was a good chance the 'crisis' was neither medical, or anything to do with her at all.

She turned to regard Medford Edson Cates, the hospital's Chief Administrator. Good at paperwork, budgeting, and the like, but when it came to people-related problems, especially those that might cause legal problems...well, if the black hair flanking the bald top of his head rose into a point on either side, his resemblance to a certain comic strip character would have been wholly appropriate.

Anne tried not to let her annoyance show as she watched him turn away and stride off down the hall, assuming that she'd be right at his heels. Then, sighing, she proceeded to do just that, as the lesser headache for later, or so she hoped.

"Exactly where are we headed, Medford?" she asked as they reached the elevators.

"The Morgue!" He responded waspishly, tapping his foot rapidly as he impatiently waited for the doors to open. When they did, he gave a perfectly innocent Sunshine Spreader a glare as if to accuse her of delaying him, then entered the car and angrily punched the button for the basement.

Anne could already feel a slight throb in her temples as she stood by the nervously fidgeting administrator on the ride down. They stopped at both the first and second floors, with Cates greeting everyone who boarded with a scowl, while angrily pushing the button as if it would speed things up. But they were alone again when they reached the basement, and he still had not explained the crisis. Probably, Anne reflected, because he knew she'd angrily stalk off if she knew the truth. He needed back-up badly, someone who he could dump the whole thing on while making a graceless exit.

But Anne's first impulse upon entering the morgue was more along the line of planting her foot somewhere unpleasant in Cates' anatomy, when she saw the source of the problem.

Summer Gale, wrapped apparently in just a sheet, was seated in a metal framed swivel chair, glaring at a morgue attendant. Behind her, one of the doors behind which the deceased were stored was open, making it very easy to discern what had happened. Ludicrous as it seemed.

Anne turned to look back down the corridor, wondering if she'd spot a sinister figure who had finally realized they'd gotten things out of order, and was back to kill Summer first, _then_ put her on a slab. Realizing she was postponing things, she then took a deep breath and turned to face the music.

Cates of course tried to be diplomatic. "Miss Gale, I cannot begin to express the hospital's regrets at what has transpired here, while of course not assuming responsibility ourselves for your mistreatment..." Anne noticed that the attendant was a bit of a cliché. Big, to help manhandle bodies, slightly disheveled, and carrying a half-eaten hero sandwich. Then Summer claimed her attention, as only she could.

"_Mistreatment_! I have been mugged, robbed, stripped, put in the morgue, and who knows what else!" The newswoman declared, tugging the sheet more tightly around herself.

Anne noted a bruise on Summer's left cheek, certainly several hours old. "I suppose you should let me take a look at that, Miss Gale."

Summer took note of Anne for the first time, immediately recognizing her, and noting her odd condition. "What happened to you? Your daughter had the same...oh, don't tell me, some kind of accident involving those two 'genius' sons of yours, no doubt? Not even worth a blurb!" She finished disgustedly.

Momentarily thrown by Summer's accurate guess, Anne still leaned in and studied the bruise. "At a guess, a fist did that." She observed, "Anyone I know? And any other injuries?"

Around a mouthful of semi-chewed food, the attendant answered that question. "She's got a needle mark on her left buttock, just below her tattoo." He smiled at Summer, "Real nice Tat, by the way!"

Summer was dumbstruck for a moment, marginally less then Anne herself. Then the newswoman let out a shriek. "You looked at my...tattoo! You _pervert!_"

"R—Raymond, under what circumstances did you see Miss Gale's b—posterior?" Medford Cates stammered out.

Apparently unfazed by Summer's outburst, Raymond pointed at the open compartment. "Whoever put her in there put her on the slab face down, that's why I looked twice, and realized she was still alive. They also forgot to cover her up properly, that's how I saw the tat. Pulled her out, gave her some smelling salts, woke her up, and called you, Uncle Med." Cates winced at the revelation of a familial relationship.

Anne fought to hide a grimace. "I really hate to say this, but you'd better let me look at it, to make sure it isn't infected." She turned to Cates and Raymond, "You gentlemen had better turn around." Both did with unseemly alacrity.

"Oh this is the last straw!" Summer practically shouted, as she turned and tugged the edge of the sheet up just a little. She flinched when Anne pulled it up a little further, but didn't stop her rant. "Now, I've been injected with who-knows-what, probably with a dirty needle! Oh, is this going to cost your precious hospital!"

A sly look flickered across Anne's face before she banished it, and spoke in a professional tone, "Well, we'll have to run an immediate tox-screen to see what it may have been. Were you planning on mentioning the injection in your suit?"

"Well of course I am!" Summer shouted angrily.

Anne's lips twitched. "It looks a little bruised, but not infected. Now, if you intend to list it in your grievances, we'll have to document the injury." She turned to talk over her shoulder, as she stood so block any peeks the two men might take. "Raymond, can you get the camera, please?"

"WHAT!" Summer bellowed, grabbing the sheet and tugging it down.

Anne feigned surprise. "Well, by the time any court action takes place, they'll be no proof that there was an injection, especially since whatever you were injected will be out of your system. So, to prove your case, you'll need documentation that the injury occurred, and was on your buttock." She explained, trying her best to keep her voice steady and reasonable.

Summer's mouth worked silently for a few moments, but the blessed silence couldn't last. "Y—you mean, y—you want to take a picture of...that's _not_ going to happen!"

"Oh, don't worry, Miss Gale," Anne said with a reassuring smile, "The tattoo isn't that embarrassing!"

At this point, Summer was nearly the same color as Anne, over most of her exposed skin. "J—just hold on a minute!" She took a deep breath to calm herself. "All, right, as long as this test of yours shows no harmful substances in my bloodstream, we can drop the injection! But the rest I'm still suing you for!"

"Miss Gale.." Cates began hesitantly, "I wonder if you could clarify exactly how you ended up in one of our morgue drawers, starting with who exactly, err, allegedly, put you there?"

A wary frown appeared on Summer's face, and she opened her mouth to reply, before her look changed to one of confusion, and she shut her mouth again. She looked around at the others in the room, clutching the sheet tighter. Anne recognized the look, the sudden realization of increased vulnerability. She actually knew what Summer was going to say before she blurted it out.

"I can't remember! I mean...I remember talking to Drakken's girlfriend, then leaving...that weird cheap guy was there, but neither of them followed me...I remember getting on the elevator...no! I asked someone what floor orthopedics was on, first! Then I got on the elevator...and things get blurry, until I woke up here!"

"I see." Cates said noncommittally, then he leaned close to Anne and whispered "Obviously a publicity stunt, you handle it." He turned as if to go, and Anne started to protest, but Summer's suddenly angry voice stopped them both.

"It had to be Drakken! Some kind of memory erasing stuff, to keep me from announcing that he has a girlfriend, and he knocked her up, or is engaged in some kind of experiment using her as a guinea pig!"

"He's marrying her." Raymond announced, pointing at a nearby portable television, "It's been mentioned on all the commercials for the evening news tonight, including film of Rocky interviewing him at City Hall." He followed up this contribution by taking a bite that consumed an appalling amount of his remaining sandwich.

"What!" Summer leaped up and ran over to look at the TV screen. Of course nothing was currently on concerning Drakken's announcement, but she caught sight of the date and time displayed in one corner. Leaning closer and squinting to make it out, she let out a startled squawk. "Saturday! Saturday! I lost a whole day!"

"Probably got drunk, missed work, trying a desperate ploy to keep her job." Cates muttered quietly behind Anne, "You take care of this, my family..." His attempts to move towards the door proved unsuccessful, primarily due to an iron grip on his collar.

"I'm a neurosurgeon, not a PR flack, Mister Cates!" Anne's voice was low but firm, "This is _not _my job or responsibility, it's _yours_!"

The man pouted, his nose twitching in an annoying manner, but then a cunning glint appeared in his eye. He turned towards Summer. "Miss Gale, I'm determined to get to the bottom of this, I assure you! Now, if you're having memory problems, it could likely be the result of some kind of brain trauma, so of course I'll assign Doctor Possible, our head _neurosurgeon_, to see to your care personally!"

His look of triumph lasted barely a second before Summer responded sharply, "Not a chance! Doctor Possible and I have a history, no way I'm letting her look after me! And you're not going anywhere, you weasel, until I contact my station's legal council, so you'd better contact yours!" Then she looked down at herself. "And where the hell are my clothes!"

"I'll just go inform Doctor Trepan that he'll be needed to examine Miss Gale, shall I?" Anne sweetly asked Cates, who muttered something that might have been an affirmative reply. Anne took it as such, and strolled out, humming happily.

Her happiness vanished as she got back on the elevator. _"I'm sure Drew had nothing to do with this, but someone gave her quite a load of tranquilizer, if she's been out since yesterday! I'd better call Drew and warn him...how things have changed!" _She shook her head slowly in wonder as she got off the elevator on the first floor. First, she intended to page Doctor Trepan, and brief him. Summer's memory problem, if not feigned, might have serious implications...

000000000

"I didn't know Mister Barkin had a website, Wade, honest! And now, I wish I hadn't found it!" Ron was speaking at a higher volume then normal, even for him. He was seated at his computer desk, with Wade Load's frowning face showing on the monitor.

"I can't figure out how he overrode your volume controls, Ron!" The young genius exclaimed, "Are your ears still ringing?"

"What? Still having hearing problems, Wade! I mean, my dad came up, he says he likes martial music occasionally, but it drowned out the basketball game he was watching!" Rufus was perched on one of Ron's shoulders, looking extremely miffed. If Ron thought the music had been bad for him, he should have tried it in a running tube, with the whole assembly of tubes vibrating as if an earthquake was in progress.

Wade shrugged, "Well, anyway, the main mention of the Battle of Middleton on the site seems to be a debate, and a really unfriendly one, concerning the actions of one of Barkin's ancestors, Nestor Barkin, who was the company sergeant on the Union side, basically the second in command at the time. The debate seems to revolve around who was responsible for two incidents, the one the that caused the battle to be fought, when the Confederate side was planning to leave town, and who caused the exchange of fire that killed the two captains. The two candidates for both incidents are Nestor Barkin and...'Bjorn Banderoll', who was apparently the second in command on the other side, also with the rank of sergeant."

"Bjorn? Really? And Mister Barkin is still arguing about something like that, a hundred and forty years later? He's that obsessed with it?"

Wade rolled his eyes. "And this surprises you why?" He typed rapidly for half a minute, then frowned. "I can't find anyone else even remotely interested in this controversy of theirs, it seems to just involve two people actively, with some sporadic interest from history buffs. With usually no more then a single inquiry per buff. Bet Barkin sends them the full file he's collected on the subject, mostly family journals. Found a website maintained by the latest generation of Bjorn's descendants...oh, you're not going to believe this, Ron!"

Then Wade looked up and groaned. Ron was using a Q-Tip on his left ear, while Rufus employed one on his right side. "That's not going to help the ringing...oh never mind!" Wade went back to checking Kim's site while he waited for Ron to refocus.

It was nearly three minutes later when he heard Ron say "That's better, I think! What were you saying, Wade?"

Wade wasted a perfectly good(or so he thought) world-weary look on Ron before explaining. "I was saying you'd never guess who the other end of the argument is!"

"Arnold Flagg." Ron responded.

Wade's face fell. "You figured it out?"

Ron grinned. "Sort of. I picked up a little Swedish, traveling with Kim. I know 'Banderoll' means 'Banner', so I sort of connected it to 'Flagg', Brick's dad seems like the kind to obsess over old history, too!"

Wade nodded, but gave Ron a skeptical look. "And just why are _you_ bothering with all this?"

Ron's grin grew a touch goofier, and he shrugged, "You know me, sometimes I get obsessed over the weirdest things! Besides, I told Kim I was doing historical research, and I want to be able to show her some results from my efforts. Oh, by the way, any clue what the 'incident' the day before the battle was, that made the rebels so mad?"

Wade nodded, and began typing. "There was a statue in the lobby of the town's only hotel of the town's founder, carved by Alexander Rockwaller himself. Apparently it was defaced, or maybe even destroyed, and the rebels blamed the Unionists for it, claiming it was a personal attack on Rockwaller and his cause."

"Hmm, but Mister B and Mister F are disputing who's responsible? Why would Bjorn mess with the statue? Wait! Obviously, if he wanted a fight, he needed a reason, right? So he messes up the statue, and blames the Union side!" Ron concluded smugly.

"Maybe, Ron, but where's the proof, one way or the other? These guys have been at it for generations, it didn't start with Mister Barkin and Arnold Flagg! There's a couple of reports in the newspaper archives about actual acts of violence between Barkins and Banderolls/Flaggs, dating back to at least 1921, that I can find!"

Ron scratched his head, face screwed up in concentration. "Well, maybe we need to find other people in town with ancestors that far back, who might have some information."

Wade gave Ron a one-eyed squint. "What do you mean, 'we', Ron? This is your obsession, not mine! I have another online degree I'm working on, plus Kim's website..."

"Wade, my Man! It'll hardly take any of your time at all...I wonder how Drakken knew? About Mister B, that is?"

Wade shrugged. "Knowing Drakken, he probably had some idle time, and read up on the town's hist...there's an idea! Ron, why don't you go down to the Middleton Historical Society, and see if you can find something...wait, no good! It won't be open until Monday, and generally only during school hours." He sighed, "Okay, I'll run a basic search, and get back to you, but that's all I'm promising, got it?"

Ron nodded, a pleased smile on his face. "Good enough, Wadester! And I'll continue to pursue my own 'line of inquiry', tomorrow!" He suddenly shuddered violently. "Whoa! I don't like the feel of that! It only happens for two reasons, and one of those is when something's happened to Kim!"

Wade's face skipped skepticism and jumped straight to alarmed. "I'll try and contact her!" He began to type feverishly. But his curiosity still caused him to ask, "What's the other thing that causes that reaction?"

Ron winced comically. "I'd rather keep that to myself, Wade, self-esteem issues."

Wade gazed at him narrowly, then shook his head. _"No time to be distracted! Have to find out if Kim's okay!"_

0000000000

Drakken drove towards the entrance of Chez Couteaux with great trepidation. One thing he had kept as a holdover from his predecessor was an official car, a Lincoln Town Car in midnight blue. However, he drove it himself, not having a college dropout of a nephew who needed employment as Joe Geary had. Now as he waited in line behind other cars dropping their passengers off, he studied the dashboard. "Enough fuel to _possibly_ make it to Reno..."

"Stop it, Drew!" Eileen scolded him, "Your Mother is waiting for us, so stop kidding! I mean, have you ever stood your mother up before?" She had definitely made a special effort to dress for the occassion, Drakken couldn't think of a single thing his mother could find objectionable. Then again, he was biased, and it _was_ his mother.

Drakken considered the question carefully. "Well, not that I recall, but had I done so, a concussion might have been involved, and you know what those can do to your memory."

Eileen gave him a playful backhanded swat "Behave, this is just the warm-up. Next you have to tell _my _parents!" She undid her seatbelt and made sure she had everything she needed in hand.

Drakken was staring at her in mild shock. "Um, I actually...does your father still collect firearms?" He asked guardedly.

Eileen nodded, a faint grin on her face. "Yep, but he's a terrible shot, if you keep moving in a good evasive pattern, you should be fine." They reached the entrance at this point.

"Ah, well, having plentiful experience at dodging..." Drakken exited the car and handed the keys to the valet, while another employee opened and held the door for Eileen. The couple united and headed inside, to find that there was a wait for tables. And that Emma Lipsky had already arrived.

Despite the fact he knew it was futile, Drakken tried to hide his nervousness as he greeted her, "Mother," and not to babble as he introduced his companion, "This is Eileen Askew, my Fiancée, as of yesterday."

"I see." Emma responded neutrally, fixing Drew with a searching look, "And I hear about it only today, why?"

"Because you're always off the grid Friday night, Mother, and you know that full well!" Drew responded righteously, "And there was no way I would have left that message with Mrs Fiedler, or you know a hundred people would have found out before you!"

Emma waved her hand dismissively. "Please, you exaggerate! She can't even remember that many phone numbers anymore!" Then she shrugged. "Twenty, thirty people, tops! But you're right, I'd have rather heard it first." Drew started to relax a bit, but then she continued, "But not on the evening news!" She held up a Blackberry. "I get the major stations on this, you know! I mean,it's just a commercial, but seeing the two of you together, what else could it be? Of course, I saw it myself, all the way back in college! The way she looked at you..." She shifted her attention to Eileen abruptly, taking the pressure off Drew, and smiled, "And it took you long enough to land him, didn't it my dear? And now you're going to marry, and have a child..."

Two jaws dropped, and two pairs of eyes widened in shock. "M—Mother, how d—did you know?" Drakken stammered out.

"Feh! I didn't for sure, until just now, but Mrs Freed told me there would be a child in my future, and since it wasn't likely Harold and I...well, it just had to be you, didn't it, Drewbie?"

"Harold? Who's Harold? For that matter, who's Mrs Freed?" A befuddled Drakken managed to ask. Fortunately, 'befuddled' was a state he was used to, so some semblance of order still functioned in his brain. Enough to acknowledge the _Maitre'D _signaling him. "I think our table's ready..." He took his mother's elbow in one hand, and Eileen's in the other, and followed a server into the main dining area.

Emma talked as they passed other diners, many of whom regarded the trio curiously. "Oh, that Mrs Freed! Natalia, she was always consulting a Ouija board for advice. Never did her any good, until her cat was struck by lightning, or so she claims! Little long-haired white Persian, I can't remember it's name, for the life of me! Came in out of a thunderstorm one day, all it's hair standing on end! Talia touched it, and jumped six feet in the air, I swear! Poor cat keeled over dead, had a funny black mark in it's fur. Anyway, since then, her Ouija readings have been something like seventy percent accurate...Thank You, Dear!" She addressed the server who held her chair for her while Drew did the same for Eileen.

Drakken actually had trouble finding his own seat accurately as he tried absorbing all this. "Seventy percent? Have you tried the Stock Market? And who's Harold?"

"Oh, yes! Made a killing off Pop Pop Porter's acquisition of Stillwater Jalapeño Treats. Six hundred invested, cleared nine thousand!" Emma accepted a menu and began perusing it. A braille version was handed to Eileen.

"Well, you could have let me in on that, never know where a little cash would come in handy." Drakken groused as he studied his own menu. Then he looked warily at his his mother. "So, you're not mad? And just who is Harold?"

"Well, you're a politician, can't have anybody think you've been insider trading now, can we, dear? And of course I'm _unhappy_ not to have been told about my son's future plans sooner, but I understand you have to be discrete in your position. And I'm overjoyed to hear about the baby. I think you should consider naming it after your Uncle Frederick." She smiled at Eileen. "Frederick is a policeman sorts, if Drew hasn't told you, Dear."

Drakken had to avoid snorting as he was currently sipping iced water. Calling the Chief Inspector General of Global Justice 'a policeman of sorts'...he shook his head, then his eyes narrowed as he looked at his mother again. "And for the third...or fourth, time, who is Harold?"

"Friday night, and none of your business, Drewbie." she answered cheerfully, then looked at the server. "I'd like to start with the house salad, ranch dressing.."

Drakken was about to persist with his question when his cellphone vibrated. Grumbling to himself, he pulled it out and activated it. "Anne? Is something the mat...Summer Gale? The morgue? And she can't remember who? Do you think she's faking the memory loss? I see. Well, I'll look into a couple of possibilities, but I assure you, _I_ had nothing to do with it...Thank You for believing that, and giving me the warning...yes, have a good evening, Goodbye." He hung up and returned the phone to his pocket. He began looking around the restaurant curiously.

After waiting a moment to see if he'd volunteer any information, Eileen asked "Drew, is something wrong?"

Emma, having completed her order and received a wine spritzer, scowled at her son. "Drew, why are you looking around like that?"

Drakken shrugged. "Oh, just wondering where Rod Serling was about to pop out from!" _"Portrait of a man, Drew Theodore P. Lipsky, an unassuming mad scientist unexpectedly sucked into politics and paternity..."_

0000000000

"You're sure this amnesia bit of yours isn't a gimmick, Summer? Some way of passing off how you managed to avoid work for a day?" Roland Pond watched the face of his reporter carefully. Summer was good at hiding things, but Pond was sure he was better at spotting a lie.

Summer Gale angrily shook her head. Her bruised cheekbone was now quite colorful, and she had yet to try masking it with make-up. In fact, if she could just remember who punched her, she might even go on air with it on display. But right now, her memory failings had her very frustrated. And Pond' skepticism, professional or not, wasn't helping her mood. Now she snapped back waspishly, "They found traces of a powerful sedative in my system, I _was_drugged! They still haven't found my clothes, though. Just my PDA and cellphone, and my wallet, fortunately! Still have to call my credit card companies..."

"Yeah, Yeah, that can wait!" Pond snapped back as he began to pace. They were in his office, the door closed, and shades drawn to block the view into the outer offices. "Now, Drakken's the main subject..." He checked a monitor that Summer couldn't see, where Denise Doughty was in fact reporting Drakken's impending fatherhood. They may have been scooped on the marriage proposal, but not this. He then eyed Summer warily. Fortunately he had a back route out of his office, which he intended to use as soon as she left, _before_ she found out her scoop had already aired.

Summer nodded. "Right, but I don't see him doing things this way. Not that he's predictable of course, but if anyone, I'd suspect that creepy guy who does the numbers work, Frugal Lucre." She frowned, "Except I don't think it was him, I think...I must have been distracted when it happened, thinking about the Drakken scoop, I don't remember talking to anyone afterwards, but I'm sure I did, probably on autopilot."

"Hmm, well, I talked to our lawyer, and he's excited. Says we definitely have a case against the hospital, but how much of one is the question." Denise had now switched to reporting on a mysterious redhead that Professor Dementor had escorted to the opera. Pond suddenly scowled. "Whatever happened to the story you went to the hospital for? The kid losing his leg, or something?"

Summer flung her hands up in frustration. "No he didn't lose a leg, or I don't think he did! That's where I was headed after learning about Drak...Oh...I think...I REMEMBER!" she shouted loud enough to make Pond step back as she shot to her feet. "Oh, but this is no good for a story...still, I'm calling that cop who interviewed me. HE didn't seem to take the whole thing seriously enough, but now I'm ruining his Saturday evening by getting him up on his flat feet to make an arrest!" She declared angrily. She looked at Roland. "I'll tell you the whole story later, but can't now, no use giving the guy advance warning, so he can run!"

She started towards the door as Pond protested, "But aren't you at least going to tell me who it was?"

Summer turned to look at him speculatively, then shook her head. "No, you'd probably give it to 'Naughty Doughty' just to help her ratings! No, I'm getting satisfaction this time, and no one's going to spoil it!" She reached for the door, stopped and turned. "OH, I'll get the Drakken story ready for my next broadcast, don't worry! Not that an out-of-wedlock child is such a big deal, unless one of the party is cheating...you know, I need to find out more about that woman..." she trailed off, and Pond saw she was actually conflicted, "Or, maybe not. After all, picking on a blind woman..." She actually looked a bit embarrassed by her awkward delivery, which she escaped by exiting hastily.

Pond stood tapping his chin thoughtfully for a moment. Sure, they needed to check the woman out...then he saw Summer stopping to chat with one of the research assistants, one he knew full well would mention what he'd done. He hastily grabbed his coat and belongings, then slipped open the window and clambered out on the fire escape. He was parked close to the bottom of the escape, and should be long gone before Summer caught up, or got within throwing range.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

I know, I know, left you all with a cliffie. I'll deal with that next chapter, I promise! Wanted to keep things in their proper order though, so had to write about goings on in Middleton. Promise the next chapter will focus on the Cliffhanger, the one after that will reveal Summer's assailant, and deal with a historical mystery, and the one after that offer a full explanation of Kim's problem, while also having Drakken meet the In-Laws.

Which chapter will have the most bloodshed in it is currently up in the air.

Please Read and Review


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kim Possible, any of the other characters from that show, or those from any other media I may reference in my stories.

Thanks to all who reviewed the previous chapter.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"KIM!"

The scream was definitely Monique, Bonnie realized as she turned around and fought her way back to the road. For some reason the brush seemed twice as hard to move through this way as it had moving away from the road. Oily smoke suddenly swirled around her and then cleared, just as she broke through to the road.

The first thing she saw was Monique, standing in the middle of the road frozen in horror, looking to Bonnie's right towards the wrecked sedan. Before Bonnie could turn and look as well, she spotted something else. A little girl, maybe six years old, sitting on the ground right in front of her, seemingly in shock. She had an obviously skinned knee and elbow, and there seemed to be wisps of smoke coming from her hair.

Bonnie crouched and took the girl in her arms even as she turned towards the car. Smoke coming from the vehicle obscured her vision briefly as it swirled around. Both of the car's doors on the near side were open, the backseat and trunk burning fiercely, as well as the nearside tire, which was the source of the worst of the smoke.

But halfway between Bonnie and the car was a moving mound of...people. The howling siren of the police car as it topped the rise behind her kept her from hearing much, but there didn't seem to be any screams, at least. There seemed to be two people on top of a third, with lots of frantic movement. Then the siren cut off as the police vehicle stopped, just short of Monique, who didn't even react to it.

Then Bonnie made out Tara, pulling out of the mound, putting a hand to the left side of her face, which was smeared with soot or ash. She was shaking, Bonnie could tell, and she might have gone to her if the little girl in her arms hadn't suddenly latched onto her with a powerful grip, and begun shaking like a leaf.

She tried soothing her, but was distracted when one policeman came up to her and asked "What happened? Where is the man who was in that car?" The other officer made a brief attempt to get Monique to focus, then moved towards Tara, Bernie, who had just sat back on her haunches, and Kim? Was that Kim on the ground? But then whoever it was sat up, and Bonnie still wasn't sure.

She did note the astonished look on Tara's face. Then Bernie turning to look at Tara, moving her hand aside...then the policeman repeated his question more urgently, and Bonnie looked up and answered "He went down there.." she pointed the way, "One of our friends went after him."

The policeman scowled. "That's not good, he's a very dangerous man!" Another siren was approaching now, but suddenly despite it, and the sounds from the burning car, they faintly heard something.

"..please...help me!...save me from her....anyone...please, for the love of..." It was definitely a man's voice.

Bonnie nodded. "Yep, he sounds real dangerous. Sounds like she has him treed, you may need a ladder to make an arrest." Bonnie let her attention return to her friends, while the perplexed cop plunged into the brush after a quick word with his partner.

Bonnie could now see that it was Kim, mostly covered in black, and Bonnie realized very little else. She seemed to be paying attention to Tara at the moment, though she had one arm crossed protectively over her own chest. _"What the heck could have happened? Her clothes, the fire...okay, Possible, since when are you fireproof?"_

0000000000

Shego had indeed treed her prey, and now stalked angrily around the base of the tree in question, glaring at the man. She kept glancing towards the trail of smoke rising through the trees, frustrated not to know what had happened up on the road, other then guessing that the wrecked car's gas tank had exploded. A second police car had arrived, to judge by the sounds, and now she heard the wail of a different-sounding siren. _"Fire Department, ambulance, or both! Damn, who got hurt?" _She thought anxiously.

She gave the man in the tree an appraising glance. He looked as if he had done considerable damage to himself shinnying up the tree, but then again, he had had strong motivation. She was sorely tempted to blast him out of the tree, but that could cause problems later, she had to admit. Not to mention, why harm a perfectly innocent tree?

The sounds of someone crashing through the brush drew her attention to a policeman approaching, eyes on the man above, obviously astonished. Then he looked at Shego, who fought down her usual unease at being scrutinized by cops. She wasn't as recognizable these days, without her old green-tinged complexion, but was still getting used to it.

"Oh, Thank the Lord!" The man above sobbed, "Please, please, save me from that devil woman!"

The policeman regarded Shego warily, but she just shrugged. "Must remind him of his old girlfriend, or his mother, or something!"

"Actually, he's up there because he attacked his old girlfriend, and her new boyfriend, at a club in town. Then he stole that car, possibly without realizing there was a child in the back seat." The policeman replied.

Shego's expression darkened, and she glared upwards again, causing the man to try and shield himself behind the trunk of the tree. "If I had known that earlier..." Shego muttered darkly. Then she turned back to the cop. "Who was hurt up there? I saw two girls by the side of the road that he must have wrecked trying to avoid, was someone injured in the explosion?"

"My partner is taking care of the scene, along with the second unit, who should have had the abducted child's mother with them." The man responded briskly, "Now, since we obviously will need a ladder to get him down, can I ask who you are, and why you chased after a fugitive?"

Shego answered promptly. "My name is Anastasia Black. I'm renting the house across the road for a weekend holiday with some friends. As to chasing him? Just doing my civic duty."

The cop eyed her speculatively, then looked at the treed man, then back to Shego, sizing her up. Then the sounds of someone else approaching distracted him, as another policeman, this one from the second unit that responded, arrived.

"How are things on the road?" He asked the newcomer. Shego listened intently to the reply.

"No one seriously hurt, though how that miracle occurred, I don't fully understand." The new arrival replied, distracted by the sight of the treed man. "Um, fire department here, they're extinguishing the car, ambulances took five people to the hospital, including three young girls. Their mothers went with them, as well."

Shego desperately wanted to ask for more information, but wasn't that used to requesting information from cops. Then to add to her irritation, her prey started whining again.

"Please, please get me down!" He cried. Then he pointed at Shego, "But make her go away first!"

Both policemen studied her again. She shrugged helplessly. "How about I leave, and see how my friends are?" She suggested, "Then you can shoot him down without any witnesses."

Looks of annoyance appeared on both cops faces as a startled squawk came from above. Then the first officer addressed her. "We need to take a statement from you, so remain at the house until you've been interviewed, Miss Black. Clear?"

"Absolutely crystal, officer!" Shego replied with every sign of sincerity, then hurriedly made her departure.

By the time she'd scrambled back up to the road, the car fire was out, though the firemen were still keeping a wary eye on it. Except for the two who passed Shego bearing a ladder, accompanied by another police officer. A small crowd of onlookers, unusual considering the few homes nearby, stood across the road, squeezed between it and the wall surrounding the house. A few cars also slowly maneuvered past, slower then necessary of course, in order to get a good look at the burned out car.

It took a bit of patience to get across the road and to the house, something Shego had in short supply, but she made it without killing anyone. Bursting into the house, the first thing she saw was Bonnie and Monique sitting on one of the sofas, Monique looking haunted. If Shego hadn't already heard that no one had been seriously hurt, the look on Monique's face would have alarmed her.

"What's wrong with you?" Shego asked as she scanned the rest of the room, before returning her gaze to Monique. "And where are the others?"

"I didn't do anything..." Monique responded in a small voice. It wasn't a denial, it was an accusation, directed at herself, if Shego guessed correctly. She looked at Bonnie, who was holding Monique's hand, and trying awkwardly to be comforting.

"Bernie and Tara have gone to the hospital, Kim's in her room." The girl told Shego, "Bernie told us not to bother coming along, that they'd most likely be in and out of the ER pretty quick."

"What happened to them?" Shego asked, still trying to puzzle things out.

"They were burned a little, trying to...to put Kim out."

As Shego's eyebrows shot up, and her head snapped towards the door to Kim and Monique's room, Monique herself spoke up again. "She was on fire, and I didn't do anything, except stand there!" She sobbed out, "Just stood there..."

Shego just looked stunned for a moment, then shook her head. "Okay, let me get this straight..Possible was _on fire, _but now she's here in her room, which suggests she wasn't burned, but Bernie and Tara were?" She rolled her eyes. "Only the Princess...that crap her brothers got on her, or something, made her fireproof?" Then her eyes widened in alarm. "She was on fire, and now she's alone? Snap!" She turned and dashed towards the door to Kim's room.

She actually pulled herself up and knocked without bursting in, and was mildly grateful for that when Kim answered, telling her to come in. The teen was sitting on her bed, in clean white underwear, looking freshly scrubbed. She also had herself wired up to the Kimmunicator and it's Medical peripheral. Shego studied her critically. Her new 'tan' seemed to have faded nearly back to her normal color, and her hair was back to it's normal shade. But, it looked a little ragged. _"A little of it burned off, at the ends?" _Shego wondered.

"Did you catch the driver?" Kim asked conversationally. But Shego could see slight indications of stress, though, which meant when one considered Kim's skill at masking such things that she was really wound up tight.

"Cops have got him." Shego replied dismissively. She eyed the teen critically. "Listen, I hope you don't need a hug or anything, I still haven't reformed _that_ much, yet!"

Kim snorted, just before Wade's incredulous voice came from the Kimmunicator. "Was that Shego talking about hugging you?"

"Talking about it? Yes. Offering to do it? Not so much!" Kim responded with the ghost of a smile. "Now, anything you can tell me?"

"Well, this is going to sound weird." The boy genius responded.

Kim and Shego both groaned. "Nerdlinger, tell me anything about this sitch that hasn't been 'weird'!" Shego snapped in exasperation.

"You losing your temper over every part of it?" Wade replied glibly. As Shego shot a glare at the Kimmunicator, Wade continued. "That weird chemical in your body has been diminished, Kim, almost 85 percent. But what's really weird is that it's still equally distributed through your epidermis, the areas that should have burned have the same level as those that were clear. Did any burning gasoline splash on you?"

Kim grimaced as she considered the question. "I really couldn't say, Wade, all I know for sure is that my clothes caught fire and mostly burned off." she rubbed the back of her head. "And I have quite a headache, to boot, but no concussion, as near as I can tell."

"Well, that's good." Wade replied.

"Take more then that to concuss that brain of yours, Princess." Shego cracked, then sobered. "Your best friend needs a hug from you, she thinks she failed you by not joining in with the extinguishing part."

Kim started, and looked guiltily at the door. "I saw that, I think, but I couldn't..." She blushed, "I couldn't deal with her right then, I was...a little shaken up myself." She was disconnecting herself from all the wires and contacts as she spoke. When she was done, she jumped up and grabbed her robe, wrapping it around herself even as she swept past Shego and out of the room.

Shego leaned over the bed, looking down at the Kimmunicator screen. Wade was too busy typing to notice her at first. When he did, he looked momentarily startled, then grinned weakly. "Hope the crack about your temper didn't upset you."

"I'll let you know." Shego replied, then punched the 'off' button on the device, smirking as she turned and followed Kim out the door. Monique was talking as she came within earshot of the trio on the sofa.

"I am _so_ sending an angry E-Mail to Corporate over their definition of 'Fire-Retardant', Kim!" She declared in a voice that shook slightly.

Kim grinned "Don't think anything Club Banana sells is supposed to resist an exploding gas tank, Mon."

Monique tried to grin back, but it failed to take hold. "I can't believe I just stood there, Girlfriend! I mean, even Bernie, after that bit about the burned guy, she jumped right in! Me, I just stood there!"

Kim shook her head. "Mon, Bernie just told me that story as an example of how the human brain works when confronted with...hold it! How do you know about that story?" Kim gave her a one-eyed squint, and she grinned this time, sheepishly.

"Busted!" Bonnie muttered.

"Well, at least I didn't blow the whistle!" Shego remarked. Kim's neck was hurting from trying to follow the conversation's leaps. Then her eyes narrowed suspiciously at Shego.

"_That's _why you were distracted just before you left! You knew Monique was eavesdropping!" She turned to give Mon a stern stare. "Shame on you!" She admonished the girl with mock severity.

"Oh, don't blame Monique, she just drew the short straw!" Bonnie told Kim, before shrugging, "Or to be more accurate, she took scissors, I took rock."

"And Tara?"

Bonnie winced. "Told us we shouldn't do it, of course!" She looked at Monique. "Meant what I said before, I'm not sure I'd have done anything different!"

"I think you would have!" Monique replied, then hedged, "Different, not necessarily better." Bonnie made a face, but then shrugged her acceptance of the qualification.

"How badly were Bernie and Tara burned?" Shego asked the group in general.

"Tara lost most of an eyebrow, but it'll grow back, and they both had burns on their hands and forearms, but nothing serious." Bonnie responded. Shego noticed Kim looking momentarily guilty, then apparently shaking it off.

"Still, I should have done _something_!" Monique insisted, "If not for Kim, then for the little girl! I mean, I saw Kim throw her..." She winced herself when she saw Kim do the same, "I mean, push the little girl away when she caught on fire, I could have, should have, gone to help her!"

"Was she burned? If I had known the bastard had endangered a child..." Shego left the rest unsaid. She noticed Kim didn't give her even an admonishing look.

Bonnie shook her head. "Her hair was a little crisped, but not badly. Skinned her knee and elbow, but most of her hurts were probably not physical." She held out her left arm, which had faint bruising just above the elbow. "She had a hell of a grip! Only let go when her mother showed up, in one of the police cars." She reddened slightly, "Thought I had saved her little girl, wouldn't let me explain it was Kim who had done it." She gave Kim an almost apologetic look, but Kim mouthed_ 'No Big'_, and smiled.

A knock at the door heralded the arrival of the police, and they spent the next hour or so giving their statements. Just as the police were wrapping up, still ignorant of Shego's identity, but fully impressed by Kim's presence, another police car drove up and let Bernie and Tara out.

A few shiny pink spots and one or two light dressings on their arms were all the signs they showed of their injuries. Some careful hugs were exchanged, then everyone moved into the dining area as juice and sodas were doled out.

"Well, so much for our night of clubbing!" Bernie commented dryly. Then she noticed the tension in Monique. And guessed the cause. "Monique, you're not worried about freezing, are you? Everyone responds differently to their baptism of fire."

"Yeah, well, you can say that, you did fine! And despite having to deal with that burned-up guy, you ran right to Kim, you weren't afraid of what you might find!" She looked guiltily at Kim, who had visibly shuddered. "Sorry, Kim."

Kim shook her head, as Bernie looked quizzically at Shego. "Monique heard the story, told the other two." Shego explained. Tara looked guilty, the other two not as much.

Bernie sighed, then fixed Monique with her gaze. "Listen, that was some time ago, and the only thing that still bothers me is not remembering! I've had to deal with bad cases since. As to the memory thing, I talked to some Marines about their baptisms of fire. Some remember every single detail, to others it's a blur, or a blank. Some were told by their squadmates that they did fine, but they can't remember it. It's different for everyone, how they deal with their first big crisis, and it doesn't necessarily indicate how you'll do the next time!"

When she saw the look that brought to Monique's face, she frowned. Then she looked at Kim, and back to Monique. "Are you worried that hanging around Kim will make that more likely?" Then she winced as Monique flushed guiltily, as Kim shot her a startled glance._ "That question would have been better asked in private, Barr! Major dumbness, there!"_

"Mon, I..." Kim was cut off by Monique waving her hands frantically.

"Don't say anything, girlfriend! That is one fear that's _not_ getting the better of this girl!" Monique declared firmly. "Not today, not _ever_!" She smiled at Kim's slightly dubious look. "Trust me, when I graduate, I'm looking at a career in merchandising, if I can't get noticed as a fashion designer, a little excitement now is probably good for me!"

Both Kim and Bonnie snorted at this, then Bonnie looked at Tara with concern. "Did they give you anything for the pain, Tara? I know those aren't major burns, but..."

Tara smiled reassuringly. "Just some aspirin. But I'm feeling tired, that's all, I'm going to bed. We have to be up early tomorrow to catch our flight home."

"Sleep sounds good to me, too!" Monique declared, then winced. "Though I wish I had someone to hook up with, to keep any nightmares at bay!"

Kim smiled wanly. "Too far from Ron for me to do it, either. I guess we'll just have to hope something else inspires our dreams tonight."

"Amen to that!" Bonnie added fervently. After cleaning up, everyone headed for their own rooms.

Shego told Bernie about Wade's findings. "How long do you think Kimmie's going to last before the weirdness gets to her?" Shego asked, "I mean, by now she's got a pretty thick shell built up for this stuff, but this time it's her own body where the weirdness is taking place!"

Bernie shrugged. "No way to tell. But I hope we find some clue as to what's going on before she gets close to cracking. As to this bit with the chemical, the human body knows how to move things around where they're needed, but not something like this! Something else has to be in her that's doing this." She slipped her shoes off and began massaging her flesh-and-blood foot, then winced, lookin gat her forearm. "Well, there went one blister!"

Shego was pacing back and forth. "Problem with that is that Doc ran her through his big scanner, and found nothing that didn't belong there! Now, the Doc may not be quite the greatest brain, but I'm pretty sure he'd spot at least some sign of whatever it is, if it even exists!"

Bernie spent a few minutes in silence, a scowl growing on her face. "Shego..." she began, then hesitated.

The other woman stopped her pacing, and regarded her warily. "Yes?"

"Did Doctor Drakken ever seriously try to find out how your powers worked? I mean, I know Ron's version..."

"Which _is_ the truth, as far as he knows!" Shego cut in. Then she dropped onto her bed and fell back to stare up at the ceiling. "Go City hired a couple of supposedly reputable scientists to poke and prod us, do quite a few tests, but on a budget. They found nothing, to no one's surprise, but delivered a whack theory and collected their fee."

"Anyway, After a year or so of nagging after I signed on with him, I let Drakken have me for a week as a guinea pig. But trust me, when I renegotiated my contract...anyway, Doc never figured it out either. But then again, he was up against something done by aliens, beings from another world with much greater technology then ours."

"Who happened to be flying over Colorado recently." Bernie observed.

Shego froze, then turned her head to stare at her friend, eyes widening. Bernie nodded. "Oh, Hell, no!" she exclaimed, and shot to her feet again. "But why would they.." She trailed off, jaw tightening. "Okay, first we tell Kim, even if it's not the greatest news, provided we're right..." She was interrupted by Bernie's cellphone ringing.

The nurse regarded it warily. "I'm not supposed to get service down here." She said curiously. When it continued to ring, she gingerly picked it up. "Yes?" She asked guardedly.

"We need to have a talk." Came a familiar voice, one she had never expected to hear again.

Bernie looked at Shego, eyes wide, and pointed up at the ceiling. As Shego's jaw dropped, Bernie spoke into the phone. "You had better not have reversed the charges on this call, Bub!"

0000000000

Thirty minutes later, the pair stood in a small clearing roughly a hundred yards from the house. Shego was pacing back and forth, occasionally muttering something to herself. Bernie found a rock to lean on and waited somewhat more patiently.

Finally the familiar little alien from the previous encounter emerged from the brush, and Shego stared at him dubiously. "_He's_ responsible for this? Thought he'd be taller!"

"Now, now, Miss Black," The being admonished her, "We're perfectly aware that Miss Barr gave you a detailed description of myself from our previous encounter."

Shego's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Just how closely do you monitor my life, Shorty?"

"Closely enough to be prepared for any litigation against us that might be brought by one of your descendants, if any, or the descendants of anyone inconvenienced by your brothers' or your actions, whom our race may encounter at some distant future date."

Bernie and Shego exchanged astonished glances. Then Shego smirked. "Think we should warn NASA that there are lawyers waiting for us out there?"

"What, and kill the space program altogether?" Bernie quipped, then gave their visitor a stern glare. "What did you do to Kim, and why?"

He drew himself up, folding his arms across his chest. "Firstly, I want it made perfectly clear that this was not an act of policy, but the act of an individual member of our crew, is that clearly understood?"

Both women stared at him a moment. Then Bernie asked "When we were on your ship, were there measures in place to prevent our doing physical harm to you?"

Though perhaps confused by the change in topics, the being replied with a touch of smugness, "Of Course!"

"Are they in force here?"

"...okay, this is the story. One of our guys has been working on his own variation of the hero program, to stave off boredom. I mean, we should have been relieved a year ago, but our superiors don't want to inflict our mess on any other crews. They'll have to, eventually, but...not important. He had a proposal that we usurp...err, _empower _an already extant hero or heroine, instead of making another stab at creating a fresh team."

"Kim Possible was the candidate?" Shego asked.

The being shrugged. "Well, she was on the short list, let's put it that way. But not our first choice. Anyway, we didn't say 'no', we wanted to consider the possible implications of trying it. So when we came down to collect you...can't give too much away about our methods, might be ethically suspect..."

"Ya think?" Shego growled sarcastically.

The being's blank mask concealed an angry glare at the interruption. "To put it simply, while we were trying to get you, Shego, he administered his own program to Kim Possible, when she was briefly alone without witnesses, inside the bus!"

"Did that cause her blackout, her memory problems?" Bernie asked sharply.

"No, to the first! Possibly, but unlikely, to the second. I believe her near collapse into catatonia was triggered by not dealing with the possibility of being in such a situation beforehand, mentally preparing herself. Then again, when confronted by an emergency, she's hardly inclined to waste time on such matters, is she?" Seeing their still dubious looks, "Look, you guys have had millennia to try and figure out your own minds, how do you expect us to know everything on short acquaintance?" he added with a shrug.

Grudgingly accepting that, Bernie turned to another question. "What exactly does this new 'program' do? And was it properly tested in any way, before it was put in Kim?"

Before the alien could reply, Shego added her own question. "Most importantly, is there any of your damn 'B-Mod' in her?"

"No! Though truthfully, if the whole thing had seemed promising..." Seeing their dangerous looks, he continued hastily, "It improves her body over time. Her cellular structure, to be precise, improving the efficiency of all of her functions by thirteen percent. Of course, had it gone public, we would have claimed fourteen, of fifteen, you humans sometimes react weirdly to the number thirteen. And yes, it's as safe as it can be!"

"Efficiency?" Shego echoed, "You're talking strength, reflexes, that sort of thing?"

"Resiliency, digestion, everything, Miss Black! She'd probably even bear a child in 87 percent of the normal time."

"Oh, yeah, thanks for reminding me..." Shego was suddenly right in the alien's face, though she had to bend down to do so. "About 'sterilizing' me..."

Stepping back hastily, the alien waved both arms frantically. "Hardly 'sterilized', Miss Black! We just temporarily suspended your reproductive cycle! I mean, you're back to normal now, so what do you have to complain about?"

Shego pulled back, making a face. "Well, being 'back to normal' is actually something to complain about! After years of not having to worry...forget that! Is Kimmie's reproductive system running normally?"

"If it's not, it's not our fault!" The being declared in response.

"So you're saying Kim is 13 percent better then she was?" Bernie asked.

"Oh, no, not yet!" He replied, "The process takes thirteen months to accomplish, didn't want to rush things."

"Then how do explain what happened today?"

"Oh, that!" He fidgeted nervously for a moment, then said "His whole process had a rather...odd premise. The hero gains invulnerability from different threats by...err, bathing, or rather showering, in an appropriate chemical solution."

Shego recoiled slightly, expression incredulous. "Huh? The hero takes a shower, then goes and confronts the bad guys? 'Odd'? Try 'Lame'."

"Unless the 'hero' is in fact a 'heroine'." Bernie observed.

The alien shuffled his feet in embarrassment. "There was talk about how the format might appeal...TV series, graphic novels..." He trailed off lamely.

Shego nodded. "You're saying that the stuff her brothers sprayed her with, which was meant to suppress fires, was used by your program to make her fireproof?"

"That's correct, along with the sunscreen, which of course protects the skin from certain harmful radiation. In fact, it was the sunscreen, along with exposure to the sun, that allowed the program to make use of the chemical, altering it to suit her physiology and body chemistry, then dispersing it throughout her dermis. Also gave her a killer tan, of course!"

"And then redistributing the remainder after the fire, still equally throughout her body." Bernie reasoned. The being bowed in acknowledgment. "But, what about her mother?"

The being shrugged again. "Nothing to be done there, but wait for it to wear off. We did a scan, just in case, of the mother. Possible liability, you know, someone might have claimed that our program transferred to her, you know? Anyway, she should be normal looking again in two or three weeks."

"That's definitely a good news, bad news, situation." Bernie commented, "Still, as long as it's not harming her?" She looked at the alien again.

"As far as we can tell." He responded. "There are other ways to remove it, but trust me, they're not worth the pain."

"But there's no actual possibility that your program did transfer?" Shego asked.

The alien replied with an emphatic gesture. "Not a chance, our stuff always adapts to an individual on a genetic level. It's not even hereditary, we could hardly have you breeding your own superheroes, and cutting us out of the loop, could we?"

Both women rolled their eyes, Then Bernie replied with a hint of sarcasm, "Oh, of course not!" She paused, musing, "Still, mighty convenient that Kim had that chemical in her system when she needed...no, with her life, it might have been inevitable that she'd need protection like that. But you're saying the process required both chemicals? That makes for one hell of a...coincidence?"

This time the alien's shrug was particularly eloquent. "What can I say, it's Kim Possible!" Both women nodded solemnly in agreement. Then the alien continued, "You know, that exposure to the sun thing...first the shower, then standing in the sun, potential for some interesting visuals..."

Shego looked at him incredulously, then shook her head. "You guys have been hanging around Earth too long!"

"Don't I know it..."

0000000000

Kim took it well. She woke everyone else up, despite being outside by the pool, and scared all the wildlife in a half-mile radius, but all things considered, she took it well.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

All for now. Decided not to follow the plan expressed at the end of th elast chapter, which would have had Shego and Bernie figuring out what might have happened, and having their little meeting at a later time.

Please, Read and Review


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kim Possible, any of the other characters from that show, or those from any other media I may reference in my stories.

I'd like to thank Michael Howard, CajunBear73, Screaming Phoenix, King in Yellow, and Katsumara for their reviews of my last chapter.

* * *

Shego opened one eye, attentively listening. "I think we have someone lurking at our door." She mumbled.

The covers shifted on the other bed to expose Bernie's face. "I know, she's been there for about ten minutes now." The nurse replied.

Shego blinked, and her gaze intensified. "You noticed her first?"

Bernie smirked as she pushed the covers down and straightened the T-Shirt she'd worn as pajamas. "I'm intimately familiar with the lurking techniques of the individual involved." She explained quietly, then sat up, brushing her hair into some semblance of order with her hands, and wetting her lips. "She never got a cookie from the kitchen after _I _put her to bed!" She added with a smile. Then she raised her voice. "Come on in, Kim!"

There was no response for nearly half a minute. Bernie rolled her eyes. "I said, come on in, Kimpeded!" Shego's lips twitched as she pushed herself up in bed and watched the door. After a moment, the knob turned, and the door swung open, and there stood Kim, directing a baleful glare at Bernie, who met it with a smile. Then the nurse pulled her legs up to sit yoga-style, and patted the mattress beside her. "Come on, get whatever it is off your chest, Kimtroverted!"

"OOo, stop that! That one wasn't fair, anyway! You substituted a letter!" Kim accused as she walked over and sat on the end of Bernie's bed.

"Well, my game, my rules!" Bernie replied cheerfully, "'Kimorous' was next, by the way!" Grinning even wider at Kim's eyeroll, she then became serious. "How's Monique?" she asked in a concerned tone.

Kim grimaced. "I guess you heard her when she woke up? Hard to miss, I know. Funny thing is, she claims the nightmare had nothing to do with yesterday, she says it's about something that happened to her three weeks ago! She says that's typical for her, I hope she's being honest with me."

Bernie studied Kim's own face for a moment. "Did you get any sleep yourself?"

Kim shook her head. "Not really, been thinking about what you told me last night." She smiled wanly. "And been wondering if you woke me up to tell me about it last night just to prevent me sleeping, and having nightmares about...you know."

Bernie's eyes widened as if surprised. "_Moi_? Do something that devious? I think you're giving me too much credit there! Now, what did you want to talk about? We didn't exactly get down to details last night before you...you know."

Kim's cheeks colored slightly as she nodded. "Overreacted a bit?"

"That's okay, Kimmie, we won't tell your Mom about the language you used." Shego teased her. Kim reddened even more while glaring daggers at Shego.

"Okay, behave, you two!" Bernie admonished them.

"She started it." Kim mumbled, then snickered when she saw the startled look on Shego's face.

"I mean it." Bernie stated in her most authoritarian voice. Shego found herself involuntarily straightening up before she caught herself, blushing slightly. "What do you want to know, Kim?" Bernie asked the girl.

Kim took a moment to order her thoughts before replying. "Well first, this thirteen percent business? It's going to take thirteen months, so I assume that's one percent per month, but what exactly is being improved?"

"Everything." Bernie replied, "Across the board. We asked about that, and he explained that the enhancements had to be balanced throughout your body, rather then improving one system at a time, or a few. All of your bodily processes will be made more efficient, all your cells 'improved'. Provided it works as intended. Still not sure whether to take their word that it will."

"Of course, it'll make it easier for you too, Princess." Shego observed, "'Improving' gradually, that is. In fact, you may not have actually noticed anything if you hadn't been told, just assumed you were an exceptional specimen of humanity." She rolled her eyes, then frowned thoughtfully. "Well, until you popped a perfectly healthy kid out in 7.83 months, that is. By the way, the 'enhancement' of your reproductive system means you'll conceive that much easier, so you and Stoppable had better watch out!"

Kim turned red as she sat there blinking, her mind wrapping itself around _that_ bit of news. Then Shego brought her back to the present. "On the plus side, in a month or two, you'll be able to stop worrying about acne. And in three or four, you may never have to pick up a razor again." Seeing Kim's jaw drop, Shego smirked, "Yeah, the stuff will start responding, up to a point, to what you desire. What you don't want to grow, won't grow! Doesn't work in reverse, though, can't wish for somethings to be 'bigger', sorry. Still, when I heard that, I almost asked for the shot of the stuff myself, then remembered that's how I got to this point in the first place!"

Kim seemed to drift away for a moment, before shaking her head violently. "Okay, that's...um, interesting! But as far as the strength goes?"

"It all depends on how much muscle you have, Kim." Bernie explained, "Whatever you have will generate thirteen percent more power. You still won't be able to arm-wrestle Pain King and win, for instance, unless you catch him by surprise. Even if you put on enough muscle to qualify as a pro bodybuilder." She frowned. "Speaking of which, you've already realized, I'm sure, that you can't compete in athletic competitions or sports, unless you want to cheat?"

Kim winced slightly, and nodded. "I was sort of thinking...in college, I might..but you're right, I'd be cheating."

"Sorry, Kim." Bernie sympathized with the girl, "Now we have another question to address. Who do we tell about this?"

"Ron and my parents." Kim answered promptly, then scowled thoughtfully. "Will I be able to hide this from my regular doctor?" She looked at Shego, "And me and Ron will definitely be having kids some day, so then...if I hide it now, it will make it look like there's something sinister about it, won't it?" She heaved a deep sigh. "For right now, just them, I can always say I held off telling others until I was sure about the whole thing."

"Or because it's none of their damn business." Shego suggested. "What about Doctor D, want me to keep it from him?"

Kim winced, then a curious expression took over her face. "Doctor Drakken didn't detect this stuff, do you think they made it harder to do so, after Drakken found the stuff they put in your head?"

Shego nodded. "That makes sense, but it doesn't answer my question."

Kim made an effort to meet Shego's gaze as she replied, "I'm sorry, but if he doesn't _have_ to know about it, and I don't think he does, then no, I don't want him to know. Sorry." She finished contritely.

Shego held her gaze for a moment, then shrugged. "No Big, Princess, I know where you're coming from."

Kim flinched a bit, then shook her head. "Listen, Doctor Drakken said himself that he might not stay honest!" Then she grimaced. "Of course, keeping this secret is pointless if you keep working for him!"

"Princess, that's outdated! Now that he's going to become a father, he's even less likely to go back to his old...oops!" Shego finished as she registered the shocked looks she was getting from both of the others. She blushed. "Right, you didn't know about that yet!"

"D—D—Drakken, a—a _father_?!" Kim finally got out.

Shego grinned sheepishly. "Uh, yeah..." she began to reply, before Kim blurted out words to regret.

"But how!?" The Kim's jaw snapped shut as she blushed. Somehow, her mind made the logic leap back to that morning in her family's kitchen when Drakken had been about to tell her something, before the bus rescue situation had interrupted him.

Shego's sheepish grin turned to a mischievous smirk. "Why Kimmie! I thought your Mom would have already covered that! You see, when a boy and a girl..." She broke off laughing at Kim's discomfiture. Bernie facepalmed, then glared at the hysterical woman in exasperation.

Kim waited with a resigned air, but still blushing, until Shego had run down. Then she switched topics. "Listen, I need to call Mom and tell her not to try curing herself the way I thought I had, but I don't want to tell her the whole story over the Kimmunicator. Some things need to be done in person." She looked distinctly unhappy at the prospect.

"It'll be hard to tell your Mother that you were on fire, won't it, Kim?" Bernie asked the girl.

Kim nodded. "But I have to, before she hears it some other way."

"Thankfully by some miracle there was no one with a cellphone camera around." Shego remarked, "And not sure what the cops will make of the three girls' accounts of what they saw. None older then ten, they'll probably chalk it up to active imaginations." Then she frowned slightly as a thought struck her. "Did the cops see anything to support what the kids will say?"

Kim nodded ruefully. "They saw me covered in the remains of my clothing, which wasn't much!" She reached up to finger the ends of some of her burnt-off hair. "Bonnie is going to work on this this morning, if we have time." She made a face. "Not sure how much I'll have to lose to make it all look even again. And speaking of which, I'm still a little fireproof, but what else could I have been?"

"Pretty much proof against anything, but only one thing at a time, more or less." Bernie replied, then qualified, "As far as using the aliens' formulas, that is, with them applying a new one would cancel the old one out. They're apparently astonished that the Tweebs came up with a combination that worked with their tech. Or, partially came up with, I should say. Trying to find other working combinations would probably be pretty frustrating, if not dangerous."

"And they're not going to provide me with any of their stuff?"

"Sure they will!" Shego responded, "As long as you become a world-saving, villain's butt-kicking heroine." She waited until a puzzled Kim spread her arms and said "Hello?" Before she added, "In a costume."

"Oh!" Kim responded, making a face.

"With a press agent." Shego added, and snorted when she saw Kim's face screw up in disgust. Then a thoughtful look came to her face. "Which reminds me, have to tell the fam about how we got our powers. Glad ours didn't come from an alien who was probably stir-crazy from hanging around in his spaceship, forced to watch my brothers' daily routines!" She looked at Bernie. "You know, we don't have to go back with the girls, we can hang out here a couple days longer."

Bernie looked tempted, but shook her head. "No, I can't. I'm responsible for seeing the girls get home safely. So if you're looking for an excuse to avoid the inevitable, that's not going to be it."

Shego grimaced. "Some friend you turned out to be, but you're right, the plane home would probably be hijacked or something, knowing Kim..." She trailed off, wincing, as she saw the effect of her words on Kim. "Sorry, Princess. That wasn't the right thing to bring up, was it?"

Kim shrugged. "No big, you're probably right!" She stood up and made as if to leave, then stopped and turned back towards them. "And that alien said that having this stuff put in me didn't cause my 'black-out'?" She frowned, and continued before receiving an answer. "Weird to think there was an alien there, and I didn't know it!"

"Well, he may not have been physically present, Kim." Bernie reasoned, "We don't know how that stuff was delivered into your system! But no, he _claims_ that wasn't the cause of your problems at the time, and is unlikely to have caused your memory problems, though I'd consider it likely that it contributed to them."

Kim nodded thoughtfully. "So how do I trust myself in future sitchs?" She asked with just a trace of anxiety.

"You have Ron watch out for you." Bernie answered promptly, "You've discussed what happened with him, in depth, haven't you?"

"I told him the whole story." Kim acknowledged.

"And was there anything around to distract him?" Bernie asked.

Kim rolled her eyes. "I know what he used to be like, Bernie! Not hearing what he didn't want to hear...but since I made that confession to all of you about what happened to me..." Her eyes drifted to where Bernie's stump was just concealed by her blanket, then snapped back to Bernie's face while a mild flush of guilt reddened her cheeks. Then she forged ahead determinedly. "He's changed! Now he still pretends to be distracted, or partially, but he _does _listen, he does take it all in, I'm sure of it!"

Bernie nodded, "_Which_ means he'll watch you covertly. And he'll hesitate to say anything at a critical moment, for fear of setting off your 'Kimness' unnecessarily." Seeing Kim apparently recognizing the truth of that statement, Bernie continued, "Kim, you're going to have to _ask _him to watch for signs, and insist he speak up immediately! You may get a couple of false alarms, knowing Ron, but you need to remove any doubt in his mind that you want to be told. And it'll be irritating at times, but in truth, it'll actually be you acknowledging something that's been going on for a long time, Ron starting to look out for you more, rather then the reverse."

Kim stood silently a moment, absorbing this, then nodded. "You're right, that's one more thing to talk about when we get back together back in Middleton." she hesitated, then took a step towards the door. "I'm going..um, to call Mom, and..um, see if Bonnie's awake. Need to get my hair done, and get packed!" She smiled uncertainly, then turned and left.

Shego regarded Bernie curiously. "You probably did tell her about the aliens last night to keep her awake and nightmare-free." She said it as a statement, not an accusation.

Bernie snorted. "You both give me _way _too much credit!" A grin crossed her face. "Babysitting should be considered free lessons in child psychology, if you have the wisdom to learn the lesson! One of my old teachers told me that, and there's some truth to it!" Then her mood sobered. "I've wondered sometimes if I ever resented her."

"Huh? The teacher?" Was Shego's confused reply.

"No, Kim. For not coming to see me after the 'incident'." Bernie explained quietly. "But then again, I never thought to check on her, either, see how she handled the whole thing. I just assumed she or her parents would get her help if she needed it. Should have at least considered the possibility that she couldn't, or wouldn't, try and deal with it properly."

"You had problems of your own to deal with." Shego stated flatly. She lay back and gazed up at the ceiling. "I heard rumors, you know, rumors that Kimmie had been given a truly harsh 'reality check'. Me and the Doc didn't cross her path on 'business' after that until nearly February. But, I—I tried to taunt her, tick her off, on the subject! But she looked at me as if I was nuts, so I decided the rumors weren't true, Kimmie was not a good enough actress to have been hiding something from me...do you remember the night Kim told all of us what she remembered happening to her? I left early?"

Bernie nodded. "You said an unexpected urge to hug her freaked you out, as I recall."

Shego turned her head to look at her roommate. "Yeah, that an a sudden shot of irrational guilt! Guilt that I should have...done something that truthfully never would have occurred to me at the time, so I'm nuts for obsessing about it now! I was Kim's enemy, and vice versa, her mental state shouldn't have concerned me. Well, beyond the slim possibility she might have gone psycho on me."

"I keep thinking of her as a little girl..." Bernie began, before the sound of voices from elsewhere in the house caused her to break off. She heaved a deep sigh, and looked at Shego. "Guess we had better get up and get packed ourselves, the 'vacation' is about over."

0000000000

"So, does this mean having breakfast with you is about to become a far more regular thing?" Drakken looked up from reading the paper at Eileen's question. The two were seated at the small dining table in Eileen's apartment.

"I'm afraid so." Drew replied seriously, "To the point where you'll probably grow sick of it!"

Eillen snorted, shaking her head. "I'd better not, this _is _going to be a permanent arrangement, Drew Lipsky!" Then she became serious herself. "You avoided this for quite a long time, the breakfast thing, being around me. I know up until WWEE and EWWE were dealt with, you were concerned for my safety, and it's probably your impromptu celebration of that victory, when you finally recognized it, that got us in this situation.." Drew's eyebrows raised, then he nodded thoughtfully as she continued, "But you spent far too many mornings before that up in that lair of yours, Drew!"

"Not my lair much longer, I'm afraid, received a second notice from Hench, along with an interesting interpretation of 'property laws' that I'm going to have to discuss with him." Drakken replied, "But the reason I stayed away then was also for your protection. Protection from me and my reputation, to be precise. Truthfully, I don't regret proposing at all, or marrying you, _or_ becoming a father! But, if that Gale woman hadn't found out our secret, I'd have still preferred to keep whatever relationship we have secret, Dear. I just have too darn many enemies!"

"Has anyone figured out who attacked her yet, or has she remembered?" Eileen asked between bites of her toast. Drew smiled fondly as he caught sight of a small dab of jam on her chin. Either because she felt it, or somehow read his mind, she took a napkin up and wiped her chin clean. "Jam gets everywhere, doesn't it?" she commented.

"Remind me to tell you sometime about a little encounter with Kim Possible that nearly put me off marmalade for life! As to Summer Gale's assailant, I've heard nothing since last night. Sergeant Hobble is running things, with the Chief at Quantico taking that course. I do wish she'd get around to filling the other staff appointments, not having a proper chain of command is no way to run a department." Drew took a deep swallow of his hot chocolate as he finished.

"Well, isn't she still leery of all the officers she inherited from her predecessor, Drew?" Eileen asked reasonably.

Drakken shook his head. "Actually, she wants to give them a fair trial, before deciding whether to go outside Middleton to fill the role of Deputy Chief, and decide who to make Lieutenant. Unfortunately, her idea of a 'fair trial' is turning out to be quite lengthy." He looked around the apartment as he said this, then looked at Eileen appraisingly.

Her head suddenly tilted, a faint smile on her face. "You're studying me, trying to decide whether to broach a sensitive subject, aren't you?"

Drakken was quite used to this behavior by now. "Actually yes, dear, I was wondering whether or not to broach the subject of where we'll live once we're married. This apartment is a little small for three, I'm afraid."

Eileen sighed and nodded. "I know, I know. Been here three years now, going to be hard to get used to a new place, but...just going to have to manage it." Then she looked towards Drew, "Got someplace in mind already?"

"Not really...we have to plan the wedding, too. Even with a civil ceremony, we need to get our license, and schedule the judge..." A small alarm chime emanated from his vest pocket. "Ah! I must be going, dear, I have to meet someone." He rose and circled the table, giving her proffered cheek a kiss. As often occurred when he did this, he wondered if she would have had anything to do with the old Drakken, the one that had far too closely resembled the character in Ron's stories. _"Well if she had, I'd have had to seriously question her mental health!" _He thought with a hint of amusement, _"Though if it is true love..."_

"Drew?" Her voice snapped him out of his musing, to find himself patting her idly on the shoulder. "Oh, sorry, just something that bothers me sometimes, nothing for you to worry about!" He assured her, and repeated his kiss, before donning his suit jacket and heading for the front door.

Before reaching for the knob, he stopped. "What I really need now is more respectability. And no 'politician' jokes please, Eileen!"

She smiled, before a thoughtful look crossed her face. "You know, you got some good press, and compliments, for helping Kim Possible with that bus rescue..."

Drew nodded thoughtfully, but then shrugged. "True, but it's going to take more than one rescue to really make me look..." an idea striking him caused him to break off. "..you know...that might work." He muttered, then shook his head emphatically, "No time to think about that now, need to get going! I'll see you tonight, dear. Oh, I may take some time off to go up to the lair and pack, which in itself may take some serious managing!"

0000000000

Twenty minutes later Drakken stood in front of his destination, in the heart of 'Old Town Middleton', the pre-mall center of activity for the town. It was a storefront operation, sandwiched between 'Sue C's Sushi' and 'Philo's Pawn and Billiards'.

"The Texarkana Tsar's Tex/Rooskie Tea Room, Dimitri 'Davy' St. Jasonivich, Proprietor." He read aloud. The words were flanked by images of a cowboy and a cossack, with some items of apparel interchanged. The door led into a small foyer, with the dining area out of sight of the street, due to damask curtains blocking the big front windows on the inside.

Stepping inside, Drakken was hit by a variety of aromas, none unpleasant, many familiar, but in combinations he wasn't used to. The foyer had menus posted on the wall, and a set of horns from a longhorn steer mounted over the door into the dining area. Passing through the door, he saw 3 booths along the far wall, one containing the subject of his visit, along with seven or eight small tables scattered about, suitable for parties no larger then four people, if they were careful with their elbows.

A large samovar, the first one Drakken had ever seen with a Wild West motif, sat on a table next to the entrance, flanked by two ceramic planters containing azaleas. The walls were adorned with replicas of bills of fare from eateries long gone. Drakken smiled faintly when he saw one advertising a 12 cent hamburger. As he studied the prices of other items, a young woman emerged from a set of swinging doors concealing the kitchen entrance. Her face brightened as she saw him. "Table for one, Sir?" She asked cheerfully.

Drakken gave her a smile even as he shook his head. "No, I'll be joining that gentleman in the booth, Thank You."

She smiled, bobbing her head, "I'll bring you a menu, Mister Mayor."

Steve Barkin looked up as Drakken wove his way between the tables to reach the booth the assistant principal sat in. "Steven." Drew greeted him as he took a seat. Barkin nodded in return. A pot of tea sat at his left elbow, and he held a cup filled with a dark brew. A plate holding a dozen tea cookies sat in the middle of the table.

"Mister Mayor." Barkin rumbled, setting down his cup and extending his hand, which Drakken shook. Then he indicated the cookies. "Fair warning, the greenish looking cookies are in fact _jalapeño_ flavored."

Drew looked at them askance for a moment, then nodded. "Thanks for the warning." He studied their surroundings. "Quite a place, not one I'd expect to find you in."

The corners of Barkin's lips twitched enough to barely suggest a smile. "I am a man of eclectic tastes, Mister Mayor. Though in truth, I came to favor this venue because it provides an adequate substitute for one of the former staples in my daily life, hot black coffee. My physician has _strongly_ advised that I cease consumption of same, and I try to always follow my doctor's directions." He raised his cup to take a swallow.

Eying the cup, Drakken felt he had to point out, "I suspect what he really wanted to restrict was your consumption of caffeine, Steven, and if that brew is as strong as it looks..."

Barkin took a deep breath prior to speaking, causing Drakken to break off. "I take the man at his word, Mister Mayor! He said coffee, I abstain from coffee! Now, shall we get to business?" Steven said in a brisk tone.

Drakken hesitated, then nodded. "Very well, I don't suppose it's much of a surprise what I want to talk to you about. I know you intend to remain Vice Principal at Middleton High until the end of the year, and then assume the post of Superintendent of Schools for the Tri-City School District. But we can't wait for then to receive your input on several matters, since we have to commit to a specific course with them, and can't undo or reverse the decisions involved without great inconvenience."

Barkin sipped his tea and set the cup down deliberately before replying. "I am aware of that, Mister Mayor, and I apologize for the delay in submitting my proposals in writing, there has been a recent increase in my burden at work, due to the flu ravaging the ranks of our teachers."

"Yes, the bug has been causing problems throughout the district." Drakken acknowledged, "Tell you what, can I get your opinions verbally now, just to get an idea where you'd like things to go?"

"Of course." Barkin agreed, and the pair engaged in a discussion touching on many topics over the next twenty minutes, during which Drakken ordered a pot of sweet tea and some 'Sagebrush Scones', which turned out to be quite good, though he didn't recognize the flavor exactly, and chose not to risk spoiling his enjoyment by asking. Then his attention was drawn to the images being shown on a television set mounted high on the wall in one corner. Barkin also looked, to see footage of Kim battling WWEE and EWWE hovercraft in Upperton the previous January. Drakken squinted to read the scrolling text at the bottom of the screen. "..teen heroine Kim Possible saves child from fiery death..." He read aloud.

"An admirable young woman, no matter how you look at it." Barkin observed, "But of course I show her no favor in her classes, you understand, I've found..." Then he broke off, and his eyes narrowed. After a moment, he muttered "Stoppable," in a resigned tone.

Drakken brought his gaze down from the TV and sure enough found Ron Stoppable beaming at the two of them, though how he'd gotten to where he now stood unnoticed..."Pretty good, Mister B! I was using all the skills the ninja taught me so far, and you still knew I was here!" He exclaimed cheerfully.

Barkin turned his head to look over his shoulder at the smiling teen. "I have had previous experience with ninjas, Stoppable." When both Drakken and Ron showed clear signs of interest, he smirked slightly. "Classified, can't talk about it." Ron looked disappointed, Drakken vaguely suspicious. Barkin chose to ignore that and address Ron. "I have to assume that you're being here at the same time as me is no coincidence?"

"No indeed, Mister B!" The boy replied, dropping into the booth as Drakken scooted over to give him room. "I'm hear to see you off school property, to ask you about something."

"Really." Barkin commented warily.

"Yup!" Ron snatched up a tea cookie and popped it in his mouth. "I'm doing research about the Battle of Middleton in the Civil W...whoa! What'd they put in that cookie!"

"One of the green ones?" Barkin asked with a slight smirk as Ron looked around for the server/hostess and waved frantically at her. "No, this one was orange." He replied as he fanned his mouth. The server knew the signs, and headed over with a glass of water.

Barkin eyed the cookie plate dubiously. "Really? I thought I ate all the _habanero _flavored ones." Drakken blinked and gave the cookies a bit of a nudge away from him. Barkin gave Ron an appraising look as he drank down half the glass of water in one go, then promptly reached for another cookie, albeit a green one this time. "And what exactly prompted this sudden interest in that part of our local history, Stoppable?"

"I believe I may have awakened this interest of his, Steven." Drakken explained, "I brought up the subject of preserving the monument, and even recommended he seek you out for more information." He said the last half-apologetically.

"Yeah, and I'm really interested to know what you and Mister Flagg are fighting over, all this time later." Ron mumbled around a mouthful of cookies. The plate was bare now, and after some hesitation, Drakken slid his last scone across to Ron, who took it up almost without notice, his attention still on Mister Barkin.

The vice-principal's jaw had tightened, and there was a strange gleam in his eye. "His ancestor accused mine of being responsible for the deaths of both captains. Either by trying to deliberately break the truce by firing, resulting in the accidental deaths of the two men, or deliberately scheming to become the new captain of the militia company! My ancestor, in turn, suggested that his ancestor had acted with the same motives, and then accused my ancestor first to conceal his own crime."

Ron, mouth half open and half full of scone, stared at him for nearly a minute. Then he nodded, swallowed, and announced "Got it." Then he grinned. "These are pretty good!" He looked over at the hostess, "Miss, can I have an order of these, please?" Then he looked at Barkin. "But, after all this time, if you haven't been able to find any proof that either of your ancestors did anything wrong, why do you keep it up?"

"There is a possible source for the answers, Stoppable, a means of determining once and for all which man was responsible for what happened, if either. However the owner of the materials in question has refused to let anyone see them solely due to a personal..." Barkin broke off to crane his head and try and get a look at the foyer past the hostess, who had arrived with Ron's order.

Drakken looked as well, and scowled. _"This is taking coincidence a tad too far!"_ He thought.

Ron, a fresh scone in his mouth, now followed the others' gazes. Arnold Flagg was standing in the foyer, looking about frantically, particularly out the front door. Then he looked up above the door into the dining area, and jumped up, grabbing hold of the longhorns and pulling them down, ignoring part of the mounting bouncing off his head.

"So it's come to this." Steve Barkin solemnly intoned, as he rose to his feet and buttoned up his jacket. Then he raised his voice, "A physical confrontation, to resolve our dispute, Flagg?"

At the sound of his voice, Flagg's head snapped around, his eyes focusing on the vice principal. "Barkin? What the hell are you doing here?"

Barkin directed a puzzled frown at the man. "If you didn't know I was here, what the hell are _you _doing?"

"I—I'm..um," Flagg glanced out the front door again. His eyes widened, and his voice raised to a shout, "I'm taking hostages!" He brandished the horns, then dashed quickly into the dining area.

Ron and Drew exchanged looks. "Hostages?" They both said at once. "Jinx! Scones on you!" Ron added.

"Have you gone mad, Flagg?" Barkin asked warily. He was studying the very sharp tips of the horns in Flagg's hands.

Flagg shot him an angry glare. "The police are outside, I need time to think!" He looked around, "Is there anyone else here?"

The hostess fidgeted nervously. "Not right now, but Davy will be here for the after-church crowd, and Jack just stepped out for a twenty minute break."

"Good, good..." Flagg muttered distractedly. His hands twisted around the central part of his improvised weapon, and Ron regarded him critically.

"You know, he's holding that all wrong." Ron whispered to Drakken, "He should hold it like the big alien dude on 'Space Passage'."

"Ronald, if you even think of giving him tips, I'll tell Kimberly." Drew replied quietly.

Ron rolled his eyes and scowled. "Like I'd help him! He called Kim an 'idiot', nothing would make me think of helping him!"

"Just why would the police be after you, Flagg?" Barkin asked the man in question.

"Because I attacked that Summer Gale woman, that's why!" Flagg replied angrily.

Ron blinked several times, then whispered to Drakken "Okay, that earns him some points!"

"And just why would you attack Summer Gale?" Barkin asked dubiously.

Arnold Flagg's voice dropped, and his eyes seemed to focus on something only he could see as he replied, "Because...because she said those words...the words I've dreaded I would hear for all these long years..."

Ron, Drakken and Barkin exchanged curious glances and shrugs as Flagg trailed off. Finally, after a long silence, Barkin asked the obvious. "What words were those, that caused such a violent reaction?"

The haunted expression still on his face, Arnold Flagg practically hissed his reply, "'Is there any truth to the rumor'!"

Barkin's face screwed up into an expression of mixed doubt, puzzlement, and wariness. Ron and Drakken exchanged looks of disbelief. Then Ron shrugged.

"I got nothin'"

* * *

I have the end of a chapter. And not where I intended it to end, but that's hardly a surprise.

Please Read and Review.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kim Possible, any of the other characters from that show, or those from any other media I may reference in my stories.

* * *

"Okay, about that little boast of yours this morning." Bernadette Barr looked up from her book as Shego spoke. "In order for you to have caught Kimmie trying to sneak a cookie after 'lights out', she'd have had to attempt it in the first place." Shego, who had the window seat leaned forward to look past Bernie and across the aisle where Kim sat, warily awaiting Shego's next words. "Are you telling me that Kimmie was a disobedient child? That she'd do something against the rules? Horrors!" She finished in mock shock. The two sat in one set of twin seats in the passenger cabin of their flight home.

Kim rolled her eyes as Bernie sighed and marked her place before closing her book. "Okay, what brought this on? Surely not the fact I knew she was outside our door this morning before you did?"

Shego made a wave of dismissal. "Oh, please! I just wanted to know, did Kimmie really try and sneak a cookie, and did you _always_ catch her?"

"Five times out of five." Kim declared before Bernie could reply. Then she smiled ruefully. "I did hope my stealth skills had improved, though. Getting caught this morning was a bit of a downer."

Bernie snorted. "As if you were trying your best to remain undetected."

Bonnie and Tara were seated in front of Kim, Monique in a single seat behind her. Tara leaned around her seat to look back at Kim, while Bonnie stood and looked over the back of her seat. Kim tried not to react to the pink, shiny spots on Tara's face, and instead focused on Bonnie's question. "You gave up trying after five tries, Possible? Doesn't sound like you!"

Bernie spoke up before Kim, this time. "We had a talk after the fifth attempt, Bonnie, and came to an understanding." Then she gave Shego a challenging look. "Exactly how was _your_ moral compass at age seven?"

Shego pursed her lips, then shook her head. "Not going there!"

"But what was the nature of this 'understanding'?" Bonnie persisted.

Kim took a deep breath, then blew it out. "Well, she asked me if I really wanted the cookie, or just to sneak past her successfully."

"And what did you say?" Monique asked, with a knowing grin.

Kim shrugged, also grinning, "That I wanted the cookie, of course!" That drew smiles all around, before Kim shrugged again. "But I also had to admit that I really wanted to get past her with a cookie."

"Digging the challenge, even then, Princess?" Shego asked.

Yet another shrug. "I guess." Kim responded. Then she looked at Bernie. "But she did convince me to only take up the challenge to do the right thing. Of course, at age eight, feeding my sweet tooth seemed right to me, but Bernie convinced me it wasn't." She paused, then her smile returned. "Of course, my Dad tried to get me to think the same way, _but_...he also tried to convince me to eat brussel sprouts, so his credibility lacked something at the time!" That got some laughs.

"Don't put too much emphasis on my contribution to her development," Bernie declared, "The truth is she was basically a good little girl, and I'm sure she'd have taken her parents' lessons to heart sooner or later."

Kim blushed with an embarrassed smile on her face, then abruptly sobered. "I think you were right, though, about the bus incident." She told Bernie, "I did tell myself that nothing that bad would ever happen again. And that was awfully naive of me, to put it mildly! And faced with another incident where I was surrounded by death, I started to withdraw...funny thing is, before I got to the bus, there was a voice in my head...I thought it was trying to scare me, but I wonder if it was really my own subconscious trying to get me ready for what I'd find?"

Seeing mostly puzzlement in her audience's face, she flung her hands up in exasperation. "How am I supposed to even figure out what's going on in my head, with all this stuff being crammed in my body without permission? I mean those Ninja Nurses, Global Justice, and now these aliens putting stuff in my body and head..." She trailed off when she saw the fierce frowns Shego and Bernie were wearing. She went back over her own words, and suddenly paled. "Oh, Snap!" She muttered.

"Global Jus--" Bernie began, when she was interrupted by the tones of the Kimmunicator going off. Whispering thanks for the timely diversion, Kim dug it out and switched it on. "What's the sitch, Wade?"

"Kim!" Wade exclaimed frantically, "We've got a sitch here you're not going to believe!"

"Is Ron involved?" Kim asked calmly.

"Uh, yeah! Right in the middle of it, actually!"

Kim sighed with a faint grin on her face. "Then how can I not believe it?"

00000000000

**Some time earlier...**

"Let me get this straight, Flagg!" Steve Barkin addressed Brick Flagg's father, Arnold, "You _attacked_ a TV news reporter just because she asked you a question?"

"NO!" Flagg shouted, brandishing the pair of steer horns in his hand dangerously, "It wasn't that she _asked_ a question, it was the question she _asked!"_

"Seems perfectly clear to me." Drakken commented _sotto voce._

Barkin continued to scowl at Flagg. "'Is there any truth to the rumors', you mean? What rumors?"

Flagg shrugged, shaking his head nervously. "She never got that far! In fact as I remember it now, she seemed to pause, almost as if she didn't know what she was going to say next. She may have been distracted by something, I'm not sure! But anyway, before she completely focused on me, I clocked her one, and knocked her out! Right there in the hospital! But luckily no one saw it happen."

"She was probably 'distracted' thinking over what she learned from Eileen." Drakken whispered to Ron, who nodded distractedly while keeping his attention on the two adults squaring off. Then he muttered out of the side of his mouth, "What did she learn from Miss Askew?"

"Um, that I'm going to be a father." Drakken replied, and waited for an exaggerated reaction of some sort. Instead, all Ron did was reply, "Cool!", which left Drakken blinking in disbelief.

"And then you took her to the morgue, just in case it happened to be empty?" Barkin asked doubtfully.

Arnie Flagg gave him a pitying look. "Do I sound like an idiot? Of course I knew it was empty! Saw that slob of an attendant headed for the cafeteria, figured I had plenty of time! Weird, though, she kept muttering something about 'snowmen' while I was carrying her! Anyway, figured I'd stick her in one of the coolers, maybe she'd be too embarrassed about the whole thing to ever make a report. Stole some sedative from a cart, and gave her a good shot of it. Figured anyone looking in would think she was a corpse, and leave her alone."

"Then you should have laid her on her back, Mister Flagg." Drew observed.

"I meant to!" Flagg exclaimed heatedly, "But then I realized she didn't have the scar..you know, the 'Y' shaped one after an autopsy? Well, I went to find a marker to draw it on her...and I accidentally locked myself out of the morgue." He shrugged, "So I had to leave it like that!"

"But this still makes no sense, Flagg!" Barkin snapped, "Why would those words trigger such a violent response?"

A distant look came into Arnie's eyes. "The fear of hearing those words has haunted me for years...'Mister Flagg, is there any truth to the rumors that your Pee Wee football team was involved in point-shaving? Mister Flagg, is there any truth to the rumor you helped your college teammates inject steroids? Mister Flagg, is there any truth to the rumor that you dropped your son on his head when he was a child?"

"I wondered that myself!" Ron exclaimed. And suddenly found the point of one of the horns a few inches from his nose.

"WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD!" Flagg bellowed, shaking with anger...or something.

"Dude! Chill _out_, man!" Ron cried, "And get that horn out of my face!"

"Why? You afraid I'm going to hurt you?!" Flagg sneered.

A slow half-smirk spread across Ron's face. "Not so much." He replied evenly.

Arnie blinked in puzzlement as he tried to figure out that response. Then he caught sight of Barkin sidling closer out of the corner of his eye, and jumped back violently. And took a totally involuntary seat at the nearest table, sweeping the top clean with one horn. The hostess, who had been standing by the kitchen door, winced. "I'll get a broom!" She exclaimed, then disappeared into the back.

"Well, if the steroid story is true, it explains your skill with a syringe, when you injected Miss Gale." Drakken commented.

"I _Never_ said that stor--rumor was true!" Flagg objected vehemently.

"Pee Wee League point shaving," Barkin remarked with disgust, "How low can a man go?"

"I Never said that was true, _either_!" Flagg said as he struggled to his feet.

"And dropping Brick on his head?" Ron asked.

"Never! I don't think I'm responsible for Brick being thick headed..." He trail off guiltily, eyes shifting from Barkin, to Ron, to Drakken, and back again. Then the hostess dropped her dustpan right behind him, and he shot out of his seat like a rocket. He fumbled the horns, nearly dropping them. "Don't DO that!" He shrieked.

The young woman had leaped back with a startled 'Eep!'. Now she apologized profusely, until Drakken suddenly spoke up. "Miss? Excuse me, but when you went in the back, why didn't you escape out the back door?"

She looked back at him, momentarily puzzled, then pointed at Arnie Flagg. "You mean, this guy's for _real_?"

00000000000

"Is this guy for _real?_" Officer Burns of the Middleton PD exclaimed aloud as he peered over the roof of his cruiser at the front door of the Tea Room. The vehicle blocked the narrow street, two lanes with no space for curbside parking. Shoppers parked in the irregularly spaced small parking lots along the street.

"He has a weapon which is capable of doing lethal harm to his hostages, so we take him seriously, no matter what." Officer Allen replied, looking up at him from her substantially shorter stature.

"Yeah, Yeah!" Burns sent a brief wave to the two officers whose cruiser blocked the street at the other end of the block. Two more officers were finishing the evacuation of the two businesses adjacent to the Tea Room. "Who's stuck out in the back?" He asked his partner as he leaned on the cruiser, chin resting on crossed arms.

"Hill and McGee." Came the answer, in an entirely different voice then the one he'd expected. Burns straightened up abruptly, while Allen tried to hide a smirk. She'd detected the approach of Sergeant Hobble moments before her partner. "Did I hear correctly the nature of the suspect's weapon?" The Sergeant continued.

"A set of horns formerly part of a Longhorn steer, yes Sir!" Burns snapped, "Or at least those are the only weapons we know of." He qualified.

"And the charge against him is assault?" Hobble knew the answer, but wanted to hear it from them.

Allen winced. "Actually, Miss Gale is trying to press charges of assault, theft, illegal detention, and practicing medicine without a license." She paused, then her lips twitched, "Though she looked doubtful about wanting to make the last charge, for some reason!"

"Has the Tri-City SWAT Team been alerted?"

Allen's next wince was even more profound. "Yes Sergeant, but they're not at full strength. Their sniper is being detained by Game Wardens on suspicion of poaching in western Colorado, and their hostage negotiator is attending a course of some kind at Quantico, same as the Chief."

Hobble frowned, then shrugged. "Hopefully, we won't have any need for a sniper, but the negotiator would have been nice to have." Then he started as a cheerful voice boomed out behind him.

"Glad to be of service, Sergeant..Hubble!" The last came as Hobble spun around so his name tag was visible to the speaker, a man of medium height, neatly groomed brown hair, and a toothy smile. "Allow me to give you my card!" Which he promptly did.

Recovering from his brief loss of composure, Hobble read the card curiously. "Harvey Kessenger, Freelance Hostage Negotiator?" He looked from the card to the man, then repeated the cycle. "Exactly how do you happen to be in Middleton so conveniently, Mister Kessenger?"

"Oh! I was just on my way through, on my way to Denver. On the Interstate, in point of fact, when I heard the news on...are police scanners leg—on the news!" He smiled widely, smacking his hands together and rubbing them vigorously. "Shall we get started?" He then held up his hand as Hobble began to reply, "And don't worry, I carry my own equipment, come see for yourself!" He then turned and strode away towards towards the nearest parking lot on that side.

Frowning mightily, Hobble followed, trailed by Burns. Kessenger went to a small hatchback and opened up the rear hatch, then gestured to indicate the contents. Both policemen looked inside with bemused expressions. "Wow, that's a lot of bullhorns!" Burns finally remarked.

Hobble gave him a sideways glare. "Officer Burns, if there had been even a moment's pause between the syllables of that word, you'd be the guy delivering and any requested ransom in his underwear, if it came to that!" He then turned to Kessenger. "Look, Mister Kessenger, I can't give you the authority to negotiate for our department without my Chief's consent, so.."

"But I can say 'Pick up the Phone' in 32 different languages!" Kessenger protested.

Momentarily taken aback by the outburst, Hobble cleared his throat. "Well that's all very nice, Mis.." Then he broke off, and regarded the man curiously. "Once they actually pick the phone up, though, can you negotiate with them in those 32 languages?" He asked, genuinely curious.

"Err, No." Kessenger replied, smiling wanly, "Still working on that!"

"I see. Well, Mister Kessenger..." Hobble was interrupted by Burns poking him on the arm. He looked where Burns was, and groaned. Summer Gale was striding purposefully towards him, a grim look on her face, trailed by her cameraman. "Mister Kessenger, you might want to...have a talk with this lady approaching, she's the press, and I'm sure you can use a little publicity! I'll let you know if and when we'll need you." He spun around and marched back to the near cruiser, ignoring Summer's voice calling from behind him. "I suppose I should have been ready for the press, but..." He stopped, listening with a growing frown. "Now whose helicopter could that be?"

0000000000

"I was just trying to engender an interest in football in Brick, at a young age..." Arnie Flagg solemnly intoned, "I had bought him a helmet...a bit large for him at the time, but I expected him to grow into it. And I was just trying to show him how to hold a football for a placekick...but he'd seen that cartoon, you know the one, and I'd never tried soccer-style kicking before...he pulled the ball away at the last second, and... I caught him on the top of the helmet with my elbow as I fell!" He peered at his audience with haunted eyes, looking for their reactions.

"You would have been wiser to put him in Pop Warner competition, Flagg." Barkin observed.

Flagg shook his head. "He was too young for that at the time."

Barkin's perpetual scowl deepened. "Too young? How old was he at the time?"

"Three!" Arnie snapped angrily, "I _told_ you I wanted him to start young!" Then he calmed a bit as he continued his narrative. "Marge says she doesn't think I actually did him any harm, he just cried for a bit. But ever since, I've been haunted by the notion that I'm responsible for his lack of intellectual accomplishment. I mean, he was even a failure as a Sunshine Spreader!"

"Oh, yeah, we heard about that in orientation!" Ron interjected, "They even had a picture! 'No matter what the patient says to you about how easy it is, never attempt to adjust their traction yourself, always call a nurse or doctor to do it!'" Ron shook his head sadly. "Man, that guy looked really mad! You could only see one eye, the other one was pressed against the ceiling, but the one you saw..." Ron shuddered.

"And I've been paying for that ever since!" Flagg exclaimed hotly, "Free detailing or re-painting every time his wife 'dings' the car! Which seems to happen every other week, sometimes!" He muttered something under his breath, then "And seven years to get through High School!" He glared at Barkin, "And you only let him compete for four of those years! If some university had taken a liking to him, his academic shortcomings could have been overlooked, and he'd be in the pros by now!"

"Unlikely, Flagg!" Barkin retorted, "The only reason I kept him off the team those three years was his lack of good grades, in accordance with the standards set by..."

"Oh, blow it out your ear, Barkin!" Flagg shot to his feet, and found he'd hooked one tip of his horns in another chair. He kept talking even as he tried to free it. "We both know the _real _reason you kept him off the field, and it wasn't academics!"

"Believe what you will." Barkin replied, "But..." He paused to look upwards as the tableware began to vibrate around him, "..I never let personal feelings prevent me from giving a person his due..." The sound of helicopter rotors overhead began to fill the place, causing them all to look upwards at the ceiling. "Cheese and Crackers! That pilot is flying far too low!" Barkin exclaimed.

All the occupants of the restaurant waited tensely, but the sound and the vibrations began to recede after a moment. "Probably a news chopper, and he was warned off." Drakken opined. But a moment later, the jingle of bells announced that the front door had opened. He looked at Flagg curiously. "You didn't even lock the front door?"

Flagg grimaced, then looked towards the entrance. And his jaw, along with all the others, dropped.

"BEWARE EVILDOER! Cease your nefarious activities, or face the wrath of _El Banderillero!" _The words spoken loudly in a high-pitched voice echoed in the restaurant.

Standing in the entrance, dressed in a bullfighter's costume with the tiniest of domino masks over his eyes, stood Senor Senior, Junior.

0000000000

Sergeant Liam Hobble just stood slack-jawed as he gazed at the restaurant entrance. Then his mouth snapped shut and he shook his head. "I did _not_ just see that!"

"Yeah you did." Officer Allen muttered. She was leaning across the trunk of the cruiser, head propped up on one elbow.

"Was that guy for real?" Hobble growled.

"Were those barbs real?" Burns asked.

"Were those muscles real?" Allen asked in a wondering tone.

"Allen! Focus!"

"Excuse me?" Hobble spun around to confront the speaker, who smiled disarmingly(Possibly literally, since Hobble's hand was on his gun). "I'm Sam Milkem, Arnie's brother-in-law, and possibly his lawyer."

Hobble's eyebrows rose. "_Possibly_ his lawyer?"

Milkem grimaced. "Yeah, there's only so low I'll drag my own career, even for family!"

Hobble nodded in understanding. "I can understand your position, Mister Milkem. Is the suspect's wife available? Perhaps she can talk some sense into him?"

Milkem shook his head. "Sis is probably already across the state line by now." Seeing the three officers' startled and curious looks, he hastened to add, "On her way to see Mom." He paused, smirking, "Only thing about Arnie that Mother likes, he regularly causes her little girl to come home to visit!"

"Regularly?" Burns asked.

Milkem shrugged. "Five, six times a year, on average. Record of nine times back in '06. But Mom eventually sends her back, because of the grandkids. Anyway, she's not available, sorry."

"I see. Well, do you think..." A commotion drew Hobble's attention away from the lawyer, to see Summer Gale and Denise Doughty engaged in a wrestling match over Summer's microphone. "Conflict of Interest does _not_ apply here!" Summer was shouting at Denise. Kessenger was apparently trying to calm the ladies, or mediate, Hobble couldn't tell. And the mystery might remain unsolved, as at that moment the 'Freelance Hostage Negotiator' took a hit right on the chin from the microphone as Denise tore it loose from Summer's grasp.

Hobble slapped his palm to his forehead as Kessenger's knees buckled. "Allen.." He gritted, "Deal with that, lethal force is authorized!"

0000000000

"Didn't see that coming!" Ron declared quietly.

Drakken snorted. "If you had, Ronald, I'd have gladly witnessed your commitment papers!" He shook his head, "It's times like this that I hear the old me ranting at the back of my mind, begging to be let out to join the insanity!"

Ron nodded. "I know the feeling." He responded, causing a double-take on Drakken's part. Shaking his head, the Mayor stood up, buttoning his jacket. But before he could speak, Ron directed a question at Junior, who was still posed dramatically in the entryway. "Junior? Why _El_ Bandi--whatever?"

Junior's face lit up as he recognized Ron. "Hello, Kim Possible's boyfriend and loyal sidekick! I discovered that _El Matador_ and _El Picadore _were already taken, and I could not find out who to buy the rights from, so I chose this name, instead!" He brandished one of the barbed tip 'little flags' he carried, and hit the door frame with the tip, scratching the varnish. "Oops, my Badness!" He looked at the hostess, who was staring back at him with a dreamy look in her eyes. "My apologies, lovely _senorita!" _He said apologetically, with a slight incline at the waist, and a charming smile on his face.

"No—no problem." She answered absently.

"Junior!" Drakken finally got a word in, drawing the hunky heir's attention, "What are you doing exactly? Trying to be a hero now?"

Junior pulled himself up into a dignified stance. "My dear father has released me from my obligation to become a supervillain, and left to me the choice of my future!" He sighed heavily, "And I have come to realize that I am just not cut out to be a teenage pop sensation. This leaves me with the dilemma, what else is there I know? But the answer of course is most obvious! I know the battle between hero and villain, between good, and evil! But now I choose to join the side of good, rather then evil!"

Drakken blinked rapidly several times, then slowly nodded. "I see. But, why are you here in Middleton?"

"Is it not obvious? I am here to protect this fine town of Middleton from evildoers! I am currently based out of the Motel 6 on Shepperd's Road, but I hope to put a bid in on your lair, as soon as the auction opens!"

Drakken blinked again, then abruptly sat down. "That's all I'm going to ask, there's just so much inanity a man can be expected to take in one day!" He muttered sharply to Ron.

"I got this!" Ron assured him, then rose to his feet as Drakken's forehead met his crossed arms. "Junior! Dude! Why do you think Middleton needs another hero, it already has Kim!"

"Ah, but she is not always here, is she?" Junior replied smugly, "She is often all about the world, fighting evildoers in other countries! I, on the other hand, will always be available to the good people of Coronado!"

"Colorado."

"Whatever!"

Ron shook his head as if to clear it. "Um, does your decision to set up shop in Middleton have anything to do with Bonnie being here?"

Junior placed a hand to his chest, striking another dramatic pose. "Ah, my poor Bon-Bon! She shall gaze up longingly at my mountain lair, thinking of what she has turned down, while I enjoy the attentions of the multitude of young ladies who will be swept off their feet by my dashing figure, yet humble mien!" The hostess raised one hand and waved at him.

Drakken's head came up. "Are you 'enjoying the attentions' of young ladies already, Junior?"

The boy nodded happily. "Yes, indeed! I find it most pleasurable! Camille Leon, though to be reviled for her deception of pretending to be my belov—_former_ beloved, Bonnie Rotweiler, did give me great instruction in many ways!" He paused, looking doubtfully at Drakken, "You did not expect such behavior from me?"

"Oh no, Evolution catches up with all of us sooner or later." Drakken replied, bringing a confused frown to Junior's face.

"But Dude, you're not thinking this all out!" Ron cut in, "The mountain lair is not for you!"

Junior's confusion seemed to increase exponentially. "Why not?"

"Because the air is too cold up there most of the year for you to sunbathe outdoors!" Ron responded.

Junior's jaw dropped. Then he looked at Drakken and asked, "This is true?"

Drakken nodded. "I'm afraid so."

Junior pondered this a moment, then sighed deeply. "This is most disappointing, I must return to the drawn board!" The hostess walked over and patted his arm sympathetically. Then she led him to a table, where they both sat down, the hostess hanging on to both of Junior's hands.

"I suppose I missed my opportunity to order a fresh pot of tea." Drakken mumbled.

Ron nodded in agreement as he resumed his seat. Then he looked at Arnold Flagg. "Mister Flagg, can we get this over with? I'm supposed to meet Kim at the airport when she arrives, she says we need to talk." Then he blinked in surprise when everyone directed sympathetic looks at him, even Junior. "Whoa, NO! It's not like that!"

"Denial is not just a river in Egypt." Barkin intoned solemnly.

0000000000

Hobble wiped his sleeve across his forehead as he finished describing the situation he was in to the Chief of Police, by long distance. "And that's about it, Ma'am! Mister Milkem is willing to talk to Flagg, but doesn't think his brother-in-law will listen to him. The two 'lady' reporters are both in custody for assault and creating a public disturbance. Kessenger, the negotiator, apparently has a glass jaw, because Doughty broke it! And, there's the guy in the bullfighting tights, who seems familiar for some reason."

"Sounds like you have a real circus there, complete with clowns." The Chief observed dryly.

"Yes Ma'am!" Hobble agreed wholeheartedly, "So far, Flagg has made no demands, I doubt he thought things through, But not sure exactly what we should do to break the impasse."

"Actually, I may have a suggestion there." A female voice behind him said. He turned and beheld some new arrivals, and a look a hope began to dawn in his eyes.

0000000000

"Can we get back to _my _situation, please?" Arnold Flagg acidly remarked.

"I did not let my judgment regarding your son's eligibility be affected by our feud, Flagg!" Barkin declared, resuming the argument where it had been interrupted when Junior appeared.

"OH!" Ron shouted, interrupting a sarcastic retort from Flagg, "I forgot all about that! Give me a minute..." He brought out his Ronnunicator and activated it. Wade's perplexed face appeared. "Hey, Wadester!" Ron greeted him cheerfully.

"R—Ron?" Wade stammered, "Aren't you a hostage, or something?"

"Yep!" Ron replied, then tilted the device so it showed Wade an image of Flagg, "Mister Flagg here is having guilty conscience issues like you wouldn't believe!"

"Uh, Ron, are those.."

Ron nodded vigorously. "Steer horns, Yep! But listen, what I wanted to call you about was, did you find any other people descended from people who lived in Middleton at the time of the battle?"

Wade looked totally lost for a moment. "Battle? Oh, right, the battle...well, yes, there is one direct descendant still living in Middleton. He's a direct descendant of the Hotel owner of the time, one Nelson Nordlin."

Ron frowned, trying to recall something, as Barkin shook his head. "I don't believe I've met the man."

"Oh, no! Nelson Nordlin was the hotel manager, his descendant's name is..."

"Timothy North!" Ron shouted, making everyone jump, "He changed his name from Thornton Nordlin when he moved to Hollywood!" He looked at the screen of the Ronnunicator, grinning, then frowning when he saw the screen was empty. "Wadester?" Then a hand came into view from under the desk and waved. "Oh. Did you, um, duck, or fall?"

"Timothy North? Hmm..." Barkin mused, "Do you suppose he has any old family papers, that may shed some light on our ancient feud?"

He didn't see Wade's eyeroll on the small screen as he resumed his seat. "As to that, he withdrew some family papers from the possession of the Middleton Historical Society just after he returned here from Hollywood. He apparently had some issues with the head of the Society, Edna Buschmiller." Then he started as Barkin smacked his fist into his palm.

"Of course! Nordlin and Buschmiller! That explains why the papers weren't there when I perused the available documentation, and why Miss Buschmiller denied the existence of any potentially related materials!" He declared excitedly. Then he saw everyone staring at him, and drew himself up, clearing his throat.

"Ahem! Thornton Nordlin and Edna Buschmiller were the Homecoming King and Queen at Lowerton-Eastside, then referred to as Quincy Redgill High School, before his daughter's memoirs disgraced Redgill's reputation...not important! In any event, Nordlin, or North, apparently informed Miss Buschmiller, who was his sweetheart at the time, that he intended to leave for Hollywood to seek his fortune. This occurred while they stood upon the dais at the Homecoming Dance."

"Miss Buschmiller, being both high-strung and insecure, assumed this was a declaration of abandonment, and reacted immediately in a physical manner." He paused and shook his head sadly. "According to eyewitness accounts, it is a wonder he retained his masculine tones..." All the males present, even Junior, winced.

"But what good does that do me—us?" Arnie groused, "Will North let us look through his family papers? And where will I be? In jail, that's where!"

"Well, if it will resolve this situation," Drakken spoke up, rising to his feet, "I'll guarantee your bail so you can attend the reading of whatever papers are involved."

"And me and Mister North are buds, I can ask him to let us look at whatever he's got!" Ron chimed in.

Arnie regarded them doubtfully for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't think so, I still need to think things over."

Barkin looked at Junior. "What happened to smiting evildoers?"

Junior looked mildly offended. "he is not an evildoer, he is just a confused father! I will restrict my activities to fighting true supervillains!" His smiled at the infatuated hostess, who blushed.

"Perhaps Miss Leon should go into business helping the romantically hopeless." Drakken remarked dryly, "Based on these results, she must work miracles." Then his gaze shifted to the doorway, and his eyebrows rose.

"Excuse me." Arnie Flagg jumped up and spun to face the speaker, brandishing his horns threatening. Then he frowned in confusion. "Who the hell are you?"

"My name's Bernadette Barr," Bernie responded respectfully, "I'm a nurse, and hopefully we won't need my professional services, but..." She gestured a towards the front of the building, "Kim Possible and Shego are here, arguing over which one of them gets to come in here and find a creative use for those horns you're swinging around."

Flagg's jaw dropped, and his face paled slightly, but then he rallied, blustering, "The cops would never let them come in here and assault me!"

Bernie smiled tolerantly. "Well, normally, yes, but you see, they've both been sworn in as Auxiliary officers."

"Wha--" Then Flagg shook his head violently, "That's ridiculous, Possible is too young, and that Shego woman is a criminal..." He stopped, then glanced at Drakken, who waggled his fingers at him, "Oh, right." He said dejectedly.

"And for the record..." Barkin spoke up, "The minimum age for an auxiliary officer is in fact sixteen, provided they've completed a basic course in Law Enforcement. Firearms are not issued to officers younger then eighteen, however."

"Which won't be much of a problem for Kim." Ron added helpfully.

0000000000

Kim barely kept from bouncing on her toes as she stood waiting. Officer Burns and Sergeant Hobble brought Arnold Flagg out first, leading him towards the cruiser Kim stood beside. Then Drakken came out, to be greeted by Shego. And finally out came Ron, who rushed straight into her arms.

"Ron! I was so worried!" Then she shrugged, "At least until I heard it was Mister Flagg, then I knew you'd be fine." A thump to her left drew her attention, where Flagg, hearing her words, had straightened his head at just the wrong moment as he was being guided into the backseat of the cruiser, resulting in a painful collision with the edge of the door frame. Kim winced then turned back to Ron. "Ron, why didn't you just disarm him? I mean, it wouldn't have been that difficult, would it?"

Ron shrugged. "I was bored, figured I'd let it ride, and find out what it was all about!" He said just a touch too loudly, then he jumped at the sound of a car door being slammed loudly. He looked over to see Burns and Hobble both glaring daggers at him. He grinned weakly. "Oh, heh..."

Smiling apologetically, Kim took his arm and lead him away. "Come on, let's go somewhere and talk, okay?"

"Bueno Nacho?" Ron asked hopefully.

Kim smiled fondly. "Sure, but didn't you have anything in there to eat?" She gestured back towards the restaurant.

"Oh sure, but just cookies and scones, nothing with meat in it!" He reached into one pocket and pulled out a paper bag. "Want to try one of their tea cookies?"

"Sure!" Kim responded, and reached in the bag, pulling one out. Her eyes widened slightly. "Green? Oh, Mint?" She asked as she popped it in her mouth.

When he saw the look that came over her face, Ron grinned weakly. "Um, not exactly..."

* * *

And so the great(?) hostage sitch ends.

Please Read and Review


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kim Possible, any of the other characters from that show, or those from any other media I may reference in my stories.

Thanks to King in Yellow, CajunBEar73, Robert Teague, screaming phoenix, and Michael Howard for reviewing last chapter, as well as belated thanks to most of them for reviewing chapter 8.

* * *

"Here's the rest of your order, Ron." Ned said, breaking Ron's focus on the TV set hidden behind the counter of the Bueno Nacho. It was running some old footage of Kim, with the headline **"Child saved from fiery death by teen heroine..but not who you think!"** Ned glanced at it. "Yeah, earlier it said Kim saved the little girl, but now it's hinting someone else did." Then he looked past Ron. "Whatever happened, it sure must have worn her out!"

Mulling over the headline, and wondering if it was Summer Gale at it again, Ron responded absently, "Kim's fine."

Ned gaped at him. "Dude, she's asleep in the booth!" Ron's head snapped around, and just as Ned said, Kim was sleeping, leaning with one shoulder against the window, with her head in turn resting against the glass, mouth slightly open, breathing normally. It was a scene Ron had witnessed many times before, though never in Bueno Nacho!

He turned back towards Ned, only to have the counterman ask "When did her skin go back to normal? Or was that photo of her with red skin faked?" Ron's jaw dropped and he spun to look at Kim again._ "I..didn't..even..notice!!"_ He shook his head violently, but then his eyes narrowed as he saw some alarming signs from Kim. She'd started frowning, and then she twitched violently. _"Nightmare Sign!" _Ron thought in alarm. He spun around, grabbed their orders, then turned back towards Kim, and found the situation in hand.

"Kimberly Anne, did you brush your teeth before going to bed?" Kim stopped frowning, and there was movement as she ran her tongue over her teeth inside her lips. Then she winced slightly, and started to talk. "No, Bernie, but I'll do it.." Then her eyes popped open, to stare into Bernadette Barr's smiling face as the nurse leaned on the back of Kim's seat. Kim's eyes swiveled about as she took in her surroundings, before a sour look crossed her features. "Not fair." She muttered, then noticed Ron reach the table with their food. She favored him with a sheepish grin. "Guess I should have gotten some sleep on the plane!" Then she made a face while working her mouth, "Please hand me whichever soda is mine, so I can get this taste out of my mouth!" Ron complied, and she took in a mouthful, swishing it around like mouthwash, then swallowed.

"What taste?" Bernie asked as she headed towards the counter.

"_Jalapeño_ flavored Tea cookie." Ron explained, causing Bernie to shudder while making a disgusted face, before turning back to Kim, "Sorry again, KP, should have remembered you don't like _jalapeños _much, and spoken sooner!"

"I don't like _jalapeños_ at all!" Kim corrected him emphatically as she straightened herself up in her seat, eying her salad hungrily. Her stomach growled slightly, causing her blush to renew itself. "What was that you muttered about being lucky you didn't grab any of the orange ones?" She said just before putting a forkful of salad in her mouth.

"Nothing important, KP." He responded blithely, before shifting around to his usual seat.

Though a hint of suspicion appeared in Kim's eyes, she merely smiled and said "You didn't have to do that, I wouldn't mind you sharing this seat!"

"Until the elbows started flying, you mean!" Ron responded as he dug into his own meal.

Kim shook her head, washed her food down, and then "Ron, you haven't been throwing your elbows around nearly as much as you used to. I mean at our table at lunch in the school cafeteria, when was the last time you actually nudged one of us, or knocked anything out of our hands?"

Ron mulled that over a moment, then replied, "Tomorrow?"

Kim snorted, sending some bubbles up into her nose, and spent a few moments getting her nasal passages clear. She waved her hands in surrender. "Sorry to have brought it up, now you'll be obsessing about where your elbows are every second, right? Anyway, there are a couple of other more important things to talk about right now, so eat up, I don't want to spoil your appetite."

"Kim, Kim..." Bernie said with a sad shake of her head from her position at the counter, "I know you're a firm believer of your dad's favorite slogan, but you have to know some things are simply _not_ possible!"

Kim smacked her forehead in mock shock. "What was I thinking!" Then she giggled at the sour look she got from Ron, whose mouth, for the record, was already full. Once it was reasonably empty, though, he grinned back.

When Bernie had received her order, she headed for another booth, but Kim, now with her mouth full, waved to her and slid over in her seat, indicating she wanted Bernie to sit with them. "Are you sure?" Bernie asked hesitantly, "I thought you and Ron needed to have a private talk?" Kim nodded emphatically, and Bernie accepted the offer. As she sat, she quietly said "Well, still want to schedule my own private talk with you, Kim." Kim tried to hide the slight cringe that remark caused.

They began with Ron relating the story of the hostage situation, which left both women regarding him incredulously. "Pee Wee League point shaving? That implies that someone actually bets on those games!" Bernie exclaimed.

"Al Betsarof, he's a local bookie, he'll run a line on anything." Kim responded. Seeing Bernie's eyebrows rise, she blushed slightly. "Been doing a better job of learning what 'evil' lurks right under my nose then I used to. Sergeant Hobble has helped, but I'm still not supposed to get involved in local law enforcement."

"Probably wise of you." Bernie opined, then nodded towards Ron "Now it's your turn." Kim grimaced, but nodded, and related to Ron the story of their abbreviated weekend getaway. She began with the changing of her skin color, which made him thoughtful, then told about the fire, which caused a variety of emotions, notably horror, and finished with what Bernie and Shego had told her about the aliens, which left him open-mouthed in wonder.

Bernie and Kim sat there patiently as Ron processed it on, then jumped when he smacked his palm on the tabletop. "Darn it! I already have the finale all clear in my head, and now this comes up!"

Kim sat there blinking, a piece of lettuce stuck to the corner of her mouth, then suddenly shook her head violently. "Ron! There is no way you're putting this in one of your stories! It's a secret between you, me, my parents when I tell them, Bernie, Shego...." Then she trailed off as her eyes widened in realization, "...and Bonnie, Tara, and Monique..." she finished sarcastically. She then groaned and planted her forehead on the table. "I really let the cat out of the bag, big time!" she moaned.

"Yep." Bernie agreed. Then she looked at Ron. "So, this bit of alien tomfoolery does _not _end up on the web, agreed?"

The boy nodded. "I gotcha, sorry if I went a bit random there."

"Ron," Bernie solemnly intoned, "You live in a perpetual state of randomness, with occasional brief flings with order, which we all cherish." Kim snorted, then giggled. Ron gave them both a scowl which morphed into a goofy grin as he picked up his second naco and went to work on it. "Of course, in a couple of things you are truly constant." Bernie then remarked.

Ron's eyebrows raised as he thought about it, for half a minute at least. Then he shook his head. "I got nothing." He winced as both females rolled their eyes, then Bernie sadly shook her head.

"He's still a work in progress." Kim told her apologetically. Then she reached both hands across the table and Ron reflexively grasped them, suddenly getting a notion of what he'd missed. "Love, Ron, and friendship! In those, you are more constant then any other person I've known." Kim told him solemnly, "And I love you for it."

Bernie felt more than a bit awkward to be intruding on this scene, even though she was certain neither teen viewed her that way. _"These two have grown up so much, almost makes me feel old. At twenty-three!" _Nevertheless, she couldn't bring herself to interrupt.

Eventually though, Kim broke eye contact with Ron, blushing slightly as she seemed to remember Bernie, then looked the older woman in the eye. "Did I ever apologize for not visiting you at all after we made it home?"

Bernie smiled as she replied, "Did I ever apologize for not checking up on you to see how you were handling what happened, or not even thinking to ask if that was the cause when you started having problems?" They held each others' gazes for a moment, then Kim sighed, and looked at Ron.

"Well, let's see if I can handle things better this time!" she remarked with a hint of self-deprecation. She captured and held Ron's attention, took a deep breath, and said "Ron, there's a chance I may not be done having bad 'moments', especially on missions." A hint of hesitation then, before she pressed on, "I want..no, _need_ you to keep an eye on me, and watch for signs that I might be zoning out, or whatever. And, I _need_ you to tell me if you notice anything, even if you think I might get mad, or be irritated, no matter what! Don't focus on me, do your normal job, but if you do notice anything, please let me know."

Ron just sat there for a moment, a bemused smile on his face, but finally he sighed and spoke up. "Kim, I've just gotten over kicking myself for thinking I'd failed to see things before, and let you down. And that was _after _I finally came to terms with the fact you had any real flaws." When Kim snorted, Ron held up his hand to forestall her saying anything. "Okay, maybe I should say I recognized that things that were flaws in others also happened to be flaws in you, and not just a part of your character. I never, _ever_ wanted to change you, and I guess that meant I was too accepting of some things."

Kim gazed at him in mild amazement for a moment, then grinned. "Same back at you, Ron, except I _did_ try an dchange you, and maybe tried a little too hard to change a few of those things, right?"

Ron shrugged, goofy grin back. "Maybe, though maybe you didn't try hard enough on one or two them."

"Maybe." Kim conceded with a smile. The her expression sobered. "Now, let's get to the last thing, the 'fear' sitch..."

"Whoa, wait!" Ron waved his hands to emphasize his words, "Let me say this first, please?" Kim hesitated, but finally nodded. Ron wet his lips, then began "Kim, I know you'd never hurt me in any way on purpose. Accidentally(Kim grimaced)...is another story, but that was different and usually my fault for not giving you enough room when you were fighting, but I learned better! And, I know you are not going to leave me over the dumb things I do. If you were planning to, I think I've given you enough chances." He again raised his hand to stop Kim speaking. "So I have no clue why I feel this way, KP! I've never thought such an unfair thing about you ever, and I feel like I need to apologize." He finally halted with a puzzled, and slightly hurt, frown when he saw Kim shaking her head with a rueful smile on her lips.

"There's a reason, Ron." Bernie spoke up. Ron shifted his gaze to her, more puzzled then ever. "In truth,it's one and the same to you. If Kim left you, it would hurt you, worse then anything, right?"

Ron nodded emphatically. "Of course! But I know she'd never do that, Bernie, so that still doesn't explain..." Bernie's 'stop' sign made him break off.

"Of her own free will, never, Ron." Bernie told him gently. "But what if it's not her choice?"

"Like anyone could make her!" Ron scoffed. He started to add something, when suddenly a stunned look came to his face, eyes widening, jaw slowly dropping. "Oh..." He finally said in a small voice.

Kim sighed. "It's so obvious, I'm embarrassed that Bernie had to make me see it, so don't feel bad." She consoled her boyfriend.

"But...but you've been doing dangerous stuff for years! Why would I suddenly feel this way now?" Ron asked, confusion plain in his voice.

"Not sure it's that sudden, Ron." Bernie replied, "I think you've had occasional bouts of it before, but it became serious after Kim toppled off one of the pedestals you put her on, the one for the 'Invincible Heroine'."

Kim favored Bernie with a bemused look. "How many pedestals do you think I'm on?" She asked wryly.

Bernie shrugged. "Well, 'Perfect Girlfriend'? Think you're still on that one?" Kim snorted, then considered the question, and shook her head. "Perfect Wife and Mother' is just waiting for the future tremors, I'm sure." Bernie teased, bringing a slight blush to Kim's face, and grins from both of them. "As to the rest? Hopefully, no more with 'Perfect' in the title, or so I hope." Bernie finished earnestly.

Ron cast his eyes down and fidgeted slightly as he spoke next. "Maybe you're right about the 'perfect' ones, Bernie." He admitted, "But there's one she can't fall off of, as far as I'm concerned." He brought his eyes up to meet Kim's questioning gaze. "'Greatest Love of my life, that I _have_ ever or _will_ ever know!'" And suddenly both teens' world shrank to the narrowest focus necessary to encompass the other and nothing else.

Bernie decided to go dump her trash to avoid intruding on this moment, the intensity she sensed between them right then possessing almost physical force. From the counter she looked back, to see them gripping each other's hands, eyes only for each other. "_There can't be many cases of love more true, more intense, then the one right there! Makes me feel like whatever I find will never be better then second best."_

Eventually the young couple returned to reality, and sat back a bit self-consciously, smiling shyly. To cover up her embarrassment as Bernie rejoined them, smiling, Kim asked the first question that popped into her head. "So, Ron, you're going to help Mister Barkin and Mister Flagg find out what really happened between their ancestors?"

"Huh?" Ron was a little slower shifting mental gears then Kim. Then his eyes widened slightly "Oh! Yeah, going to talk to Mister North about seeing those family papers of his!"

"Think he'll have any objections?" Bernie asked curiously.

Ron shrugged. "Can't think of a reason why! Of course, maybe I'll have to do him a favor or something in return. Doctor Drakken has promised to do whatever it takes to get this done, I think he's as curious as any of us!"

"Oh! That reminds me!" Kim exclaimed, then winced and lowered her voice as Ned popped into view, studying her curiously. "Two things, Ron! First, don't mention anything about the Aliens in front of Drakken." She glanced quickly at Bernie, but the older woman kept her face neutral. Kim still bit her lip nervously before again turning to Ron. "Second, we're giving Tara the credit for saving the little girl, to explain her burns to everyone. She's not happy about it, it took all of us to convince her. And Mon and Bonnie took her home to make sure that's what her parents hear."

Ron nodded. "Gotcha!" Then he frowned, looking at Bernie. "But what about Bernie's burns? OOo, that rhymes...never mind."

"Not going to be a problem, Ron." Bernie assured him, "I'm headed back out of town for a while, letting Loretta's friend have the school nurse's job, she needs it more then me, money wise."

"Awww..." Was Ron's response, but Kim scowled slightly. "What about for other reasons, Bernie? Don't you need something to do?"

"I'll be fine, Kim." Bernie replied with a fond smile, "I'm going to miss the unique nature of the crises I encounter at Middleton High, for sure, but I'll find something else to occupy myself, don't worry. Not going to devolve into a spoiled rich brat, or anything like that."

"Going to miss having you around School, though." Kim told her sincerely.

Bernie reddened just slightly as she bobbed her head gratefully. "Thanks, you guys." She then asked Ron, "What kind of favor does Mr North usually ask you to do?"

Ron shrugged. "Nothing particular, could be anything!"

"Well, if you need any help at all with it, don't hesitate to ask." Bernie told him.

"Same here, Ron." Kim chimed in, "Anything I can do, just ask."

00000000000

"Okay, I understand how you got railroaded into this, Possible, but how the hell did I get elected for this?" Shego complained aloud as she struggled to puzzle out the outfit she was supposed to be donning.

"Because Doctor Drakken volunteered you?" Kim replied snarkily as she wrestled herself into her own costume.

Shego glared at the teen. "Remind me never to sign another personal services contract while pretending to know what all the legal terminology means!" She looked down at her self and scowled. "Since when is there a Ferret_woman_?"

"She's part of the updated Fearless Ferret." Bernie informed her glowering friend, "Something to add a little spice. Rumor is that she bats for the other team, if you know what I mean?" She waggled her eyebrows, grinning at Shego's discomfiture.

"You know how many times I've refused to wear this costume?" Kim moaned as she finished adjusting her FerretGirl outfit. "Why did I have to promise to do _anything_ to help Ron!"

"Ohhh, don't be babies!" Bernie cracked, "It's only for some pics that will go into his private memorabilia collection, it's not like he's posting them on the Internet, after all! They won't become public at least until after he passes away." Then she shrugged. "Besides, with the masks, no one will recognize you, anyway!"

Now dressed, Shego just grumbled something unintelligible, but almost certainly impolite. Kim rolled her eyes and then nodded grimly. "Let's get this over with, then we can get a look at those journals."

"Well, that won't be until tomorrow, Kim." Bernie informed her, "Judge won't set bail for Mister Flagg tonight, and Doctor Drakken promised Flagg he'd be present for the reading. So, if you want to be present, too, it'll be done after school tomorrow."

A sour look on her face, Kim began to reply, then stopped and looked thoughtful. Finally she nodded decisively. "You know, I _do _want to be there!"

Bernie smiled and gave her a nod of approval. "Good, nice to see you sharing Ron's interest! Now, as you said before, let's get this over with, it's been an incredibly long and eventful weekend, I'd like it to be at an end!"

"Amen, Sister!" Shego responded fervently. She looked down her own cleavage sourly. "If I had worn this after I left Team Go, my criminal career would have been very brief, and consisted mostly of killing the guys who made remarks about it!"

* * *

And so I end a short chapter. Was going to finish with the actual resolution of this particular plotline, but feel an urge to post, so you all get a talkfest.

Please Read and Review


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kim Possible, any of the other characters from that show, or those from any other media I may reference in my stories.

* * *

If you're going to be beamed up by aliens, Monday morning was probably the best time for it. At least, that's what Kim decided was the best way to take the sitch. At least they'd let her shower and dress, though being caught with both hands trying to arrange her hair into a ponytail while she held a scrunchie between her teeth was a tad embarrassing. Though not as embarrassing as the thought that they'd known her state of dress when they beamed her up.

"This will only take a moment of your time." She couldn't tell for certain which of the three closest, out of nine total visible aliens had actually addressed her at first. If the voice even originated from one of the ones present in the chamber she'd appeared in. "We need to take care of a few legal details, since you are aware of our existence as the source of the powers...err, changes in you."

One of the aliens stepped towards her and held out a device like an electronic document reader, which it pretty much was. "If you'll sign at the bottom, please?" She _thought _the voice came from the same alien, but wasn't sure, as she took the device and read the writing on the screen. Then scowled. "This isn't English..." She began to say.

A sharp buzz startled her, and one of the aliens took a step towards the one who had given her the document, pivoted on one leg, and kicked, sending the targeted one literally sailing across the chamber, to bounce off the wall and come back at the same velocity, causing Kim to duck. "Wait!" She shouted as the ricocheting alien rebounded from another wall with little sign of slowing down, "It's in _Latin_! I can read it, just not as well as English!" She was now in a low crouch as the flying alien came close again.

Suddenly there was a change in the air pressure, or something causing a similar feeling in Kim's ears, and the bouncing alien dropped straight to the deck with a thump. Then the change reversed itself. "That was a side effect of the protective measures we instituted in case of violence on your part, we had to switch it off to stop him." A voice with no clear source explained. "As to the document..." Another of the diminutive beings stepped forward and held out it's hand. Kim gave him the document, it made a few adjustments, then handed it back. Now it was in English, and Kim began reading it.

"Basically it says that we cannot be held accountable for any incidents occurring in the rooms and areas specified in the document, involving any powers we have bestowed upon you." This time the speaker was clearly one of the aliens present, one of two trying to steady the wobbly victim of the kick as he regained his feet. "And frees us of the obligation of continuously monitoring when you enter therein." He finished.

"My bedroom, mine or any other bathroom or public restroom," Kim read aloud, "Any locker room or dressing room." She scowled at the assemblage, "And up to now?"

"When a subject is unaware of our existence, and is therefore unlikely to bring legal action against our race, or have descendants who may do so, we assume the waiver to be already in force." The alien replied, "So up until now, we have acted in accordance with that agreement! But now, there is a possibility of fraudulent claims on your part..." He took a small step backwards at the look in Kim's eyes.

[Wuss!] One of his companions told him over their closed communications circuit, [She can't hurt us in here!]

[You look her in the eye and tell yourself that!] The lead alien replied.

[Actually...] Said a third, [I've calculated the force of one of her kicks, and if she gets one of us good, nobody will probably get out of here undented.]

"No offense, Miss Possible, but we have had problems in the past, you understand!" The speaker told Kim apologetically.

Kim scowled as she reread the document. "And that's all you want from me, to sign this? I'm going to be really mad if I'm late for school because of you guys!"

"Miss Possible, you're not even going to be late for breakfast, let alone school!" The speaker replied, "And no, there was another thing, but it's been taken care of already." That brought another flinch as Kim's expression became dangerous. The speaker waved his hands frantically. "It's nothing harmful! We just altered the 'program' that our colleague put in you, removing the ability to use different chemical combinations to endow you with invulnerability. While useful, the potential for possibly unhealthy random effects was just too great! So, all it will do now is continue cellular modification of your body."

"Why not take it out altogether!" Kim snapped testily, "Then you won't have to worry about me at all!"

"Well, we can remove the mod, but not the 'base', so to speak. You need something to work from it, and this is a fairly benign program, after all." He clapped his hands together. "Now, if you're finished perusing the document, please sign it, and we can return you to your bedroom."

Kim scowled at him indecisively for a moment, then sighed. "Fine! Give me a pen or something to sign it with, please and Thank You!" No one moved for a moment, then all the aliens began to look at each other. She faintly heard a buzzing noise coming from them, varying considerably in volume and pitch. Then one raised his leg..._"Oh no, not again!"_

00000000000

"Dad! Dad! We detected a spatial anomaly in Kim's room!" The Tweebs shouted in stereo as they dashed into the kitchen.

James Possible lowered his newspaper to give them a dubious look. "Detected, or caused, boys?"

Both twins rolled their eyes. "Dad! That's not fair! We only ever caused a spatial anomaly _once_, and it was a small one!" Jim protested.

"Yeah!" Tim added righteously, "And it wasn't what we were trying to do, it was an accident!"

James quirked one eyebrow. "As I recall, you were attempting to create a miniature black hole, despite being expressly forbidden to do so!"

"In the house!" Tim responded, though with less self-assurance. "You never said anything about the old garden shed..." He trailed off lamely as Jim rolled his eyes again.

"Which, along with it's contents, was compressed to the size of a soda can." Their mother responded as she set their plates on the table. "Now, eat up, while I go see.." She was interrupted by a buzzing noise from Jim, who pulled a small device from his pocket and studied it with rising excitement.

"Dad! Mom! It's happening again! But in the living room!" He exclaimed. Dubious, both adults looked towards the entrance to the living room, just as Kim swept through.

"Morning Mom, Dad!" She greeted them, while her brothers regarded her with deep suspicion. "I'm not late for breakfast, am I?"

"Morning Sweetie!" Her mother replied, "And no, you're not too late, why would you think that?" She added as she turned back to prepare Kim's plate.

"Well..." Kim began as she sat down, "I sorta was abducted by those aliens, and thought I was with them a half hour or so, which should have made me late." She returned all their astonished looks with a weak grin.

Her father spoke first. "Now, Kimmie-cub, I don't approve of my children being abducted by aliens, even with good cause!" Then he blinked, and thought over what he'd just said, and scowled. "You're not playing a joke on us, are you?"

Kim was prevented from replying by Jim suddenly reaching up to pull something from her hair. "What's this?" It was white and slightly curved, obviously broken off something else.

Kim's eyes widened. "Oh! That looks like a piece of one of their suits, it must have broken off during one of the collisions!"

James mouthed the word 'collisions?' as the Tweebs became excited. "Wow, an alien alloy, wait until we test this...Hey!" He ended as with a sizzling noise the piece of armor vanished from his hand. He blew on his fingertips. "Ow! What happened?!"

Kim looked upwards. "I guess they were watching, And..." Then she was interrupted by her Kimmunicator going off. She activated it. "What's the sitch?" She asked Wade as his face appeared.

"Kim! You probably never expected to hear me say this, but turn on Summer Gale!" The boy urged her excitedly.

Kim made a face. "I saw the mugshot, Wade, I really don't..." But then Wade cut her off.

"That was faked, Kim! They never booked her, so no mugshot, this is different! Hurry up!"

"Okay, Okay!" Shrugging in response to her parents' curious looks, Kim got up and went into the living room, where she grabbed the control for the big plasma screen. Her brothers, plates in hand, and her parents followed her. "Okay, Wade, turning it on..."

"Wait Kim!" Bernadette Barr's voice came over the channel, "Just a few seconds!"

Kim looked at the Kimmunicator, startled. "Bernie? What are you doing there?"

"Visiting me, Kim." Came Loretta Load's voice. "And please do as she says, wait for just a few more seconds...okay, now turn it on."

Thoroughly perplexed, Kim hit the power button and the screen lit up. And Kim's jaw dropped. Even though it was from a different perspective then the one from which she'd experienced it, she immediately realized she was looking at an image of her rescue of the little girl. And she realized that the delay Bernie and Mrs Load had imposed had prevented her, and her parents, from seeing her immolated by the exploding gas tank. She shuddered at the thought, before another thought caused a thrill of panic.

The picture was showing Bernie and Tara trying to extinguish Kim's burning clothes. The as they sat back, and Kim in turn sat up...the angle changed so Bernie was blocking any sign of Kim's nudity. The girl let out a sigh of relief. But then her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Wade, am I wrong, or did that change of angle seem a little strange?"

"Not if you realize that we're looking at a full 3-D recording, Kim." Her tech guru replied, "This was taken by something far more sophisticated then a cellphone or a security camera, plus there weren't any nearby that had this angle. It looks to me as if someone with some fantastic gear was running surveillance on you."

Kim blinked, then covered her face as she groaned. "Uh, Kim?" she peeked between her fingers at Jim, who was looking behind her, "I think there's an alien behind you."

She dropped her hands and squeezed her eyes shut. "Of course there is." She muttered, then turned around. She vaguely registered Loretta Load's voice, "Did that boy say an _alien?"_ coming from the Kimmunicator.

"Actually, this is merely a holographic projection." Came the annoyingly familiar voice.

Kim squinted at the hologram, a puzzled look on her face. "You're upside down, you know." Which was the literal truth. "Not to mention four feet above the ground."

"I...was aware of that." The hologram replied in a frustrated tone. "When boredom set in, some of the crew 'tinkered' with a few systems. I mean, keeping track of the number of kitchen appliances Hego breaks just preparing breakfast every morning can drive one to extreme attempts to restore sanity, trust me!"

Kim indicated the plasma screen with a jerk of her thumb. "Are you responsible for that?" Then she glanced at the screen and realized the current image was one of MonkeyFist lip-locked with...Sarah Palin?! "Okay, that has to be a fake, right, Wade?" She asked hopefully.

"Tshah! Of course! Great composition, though! Better then the one with Angelina Jolie, anyway!" Wade replied.

Kim squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head violently as if to banish the image from her mind. Meanwhile the alien replied to her question. "I assume you mean the footage of your rescue of the child? Yes, we gave that to Miss Gale anonymously, and have promised her occasional similar clips, but only as long as her reporting of the events is objective, and unbiased. She agreed, and hasn't chosen to look this particular 'gift horse' in the mouth."

Wade spoke up again. "Yeah, Kim, you missed her actually admitting to being biased in her reports on you, and promising never to let her personal feelings affect her reporting again! Then she praised your heroism, and ran the clip. Sorry I almost made you watch the bad part, though."

"No Big, Wade." Kim replied, then turned to the alien again. "But why?" She asked it.

It remained silent for a moment, seeming to be nervous all of a sudden, then suddenly looked at it's bare wrist. "OOPS! Look at the time, Gotta go!" Then it vanished before Kim could even open her mouth to speak.

"Stop!" She finally got out, futilely. She growled in frustration, then looked at her parents. "Why did he do that? What's he hiding?" Then she noticed that their expressions were suspicious, and obviously directed at her. "Something wrong?"

Her mother nodded and spoke first. "Those images don't exactly match the story we heard on the news, that Tara saved the little girl. There was no mention of you...Kim, I want the truth, the whole truth, and right now! But eat your breakfast while you're explaining things, I don't want you late for school!"

Kim face palmed. "Mom, Dad, I'm sorry! I was so tired last night after everything, I just forgot to tell you what happened, I never expected you to hear about it from someone else, I'm really sorry!"

"I can explain things, Anne, while Kim gets ready." Bernie's voice came over the Kimmunicator, "We all decided to portray events that way for a reason."

00000000000

"Well, it's lucky Tara made us tell her parents the truth in the first place, or we'd have them mad at us, too!" Bonnie groused. Kim, Ron, Tara, Bonnie and Monique were seated at their usual table in the school cafeteria for lunch. "But, I am glad that everyone still thinks of Tara as heroic for trying to extinguish you." The brunette told Kim.

Tara blushed, something she'd been doing almost constantly all day, and not as she had feared do to embarrassment over her visible burns. Instead several students had expressed admiration for her courage. _And _asked how Kim hadn't been burned at all, to which Tara had replied truthfully enough that her friend had been made 'accidentally' fireproof, but it had now worn off.

"Whereas I totally messed up by not telling my parents the whole story last night!" Kim lamented. "I should have realized they might hear something about it!"

"Well, the early reports said you _did_ save the little girl, Kim." Monique pointed out, "The adjusted one giving Tara the credit wasn't on the news until pretty late. And at least everyone understands the reason for the confusion. Wouldn't want them thinking Tara tried to claim credit falsely." She cringed a bit at Tara's gaze, "Even though we did sort of try to give it to her, um, falsely?"

"I'm just happy the truth is out, one way or the other." Tara stated. "I never wanted people to think of me as a hero, because they might think I'd automatically do it again if something like that happened, and I'm not sure I would, or even could!"

"No one knows until it happens, Tara." Kim assured her. Then seeing some dubious looks, "I used to think I could handle any sitch without hesitating, but I learned differently. And I'm not just talking about the problems I've had recently, there were other times I balked, because I was weirded out by something, or so I told myself." Then she glanced at the clock. "Can we change the subject? I wanted to discuss Junior's sudden appearance, I'm really afraid he's serious about becoming a hero."

"Well if he is, he should go to Go City, he should fit right in over there!" Bonnie snapped, then blushed slightly at the open-mouthed looks she got. She looked down at her hands. "Believe it or not, my father still thinks I should make a play for Junior. Of course, we all know why!" Then she swallowed and added, "But he also wants me to be happy, but I'd have to _really _put on a big show of being unhappy with the idea for him to drop it."

"Well, not to be harsh, Bonnie," Monique observed, "But if he's confused about what would make you happy, you partially have yourself to blame for it."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "_Solely_ have myself to blame for it, you mean?" She snorted, "That's true, I've been so random most of my life..." She noticed Kim had become distracted and followed her gaze. She was looking at the table across the room where her brothers had their heads down in conversation with Ron Reger and Richard 'Buzz' Carroll, two of their friends. "'Big Sister sense' tingling, Possible?"

Kim looked at her, and blushed slightly, then nodded. "Something like that!" She admitted. Then she checked the clock again, and reached to pick up her tray before hesitating. "Ya know, it's amazing how clean my tray gets, even when I only pick at my food." She regarded Ron suspiciously. "You know when we're married, I'm going have to keep you moving, I don't want a 'plus size' husband around the house!"

Before Ron could reply, Bonnie spoke her piece. "What, don't think you're going to give him enough of a workout, Kim?" As Kim blinked before her eyes widened and cheeks colored, the brunette smirked. "I mean, saving it all up for marriage usually leads to quite a wedding night, or so I'm told." Monique was smiling openly, Tara hiding a grin, and Kim threatening to return to the skin color she'd had previous to their Caribbean jaunt when Ron suddenly began coughing as a mouthful of soda went down the wrong way.

Kim patted him on the back while glaring at Bonnie, who smiled unabashedly back. "Sorry Kim, but I occasionally have to let 'old Bonnie' out for a bit, to keep her from bursting out when I don't want her to!" She didn't sound anywhere near as apologetic as Kim would have liked, but she had to admit she sometimes felt the need to let her 'evil' self out. Which reminded her...she gazed again across at her siblings and wondered if whatever they were plotting had anything to do with her.

Then her gaze shifted to a table crowded with female students, and she spotted Gina Leo and Cameron Geary, her brothers' potential 'dates' for Saturday night. "Have you heard that my brother has invited your cousin on a date, Bonnie?" She asked distractedly.

Bonnie shrugged. "Heh, he still has to meet her father, if that doesn't make him chicken out, more power to him!"

Kim smirked slightly. Gina's father was a former offensive lineman who hadn't come down very far from his playing weight as an All-Pro. _That_ would be an interesting meeting. Then her musings were interrupted by the bell. Not having any shared classes with Ron after lunch, she risked a quick PDA peck on the cheek. "Later, Ron."

Ron's head bobbed. "Okay, KP! Remember, we go straight over to Mister North's after school!"

"Got it, Ron." Kim replied, then patted something in her pocket to make sure it was still there. _"And a little talk with Doctor Drakken, if he's there in person."_

* * *

Well, that should be the last appearance of our aliens in this story. And once again I've delayed wrapping up the 'Battle of Middleton' plotline. But I feel like posting, and short chapters seem to work all right. And yes, to all those who suggested that before, I hear you snickering out there.

Anyway, for now, Please Read and Review.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kim Possible, any of the other characters from that show, or those from any other media I may reference in my stories.

* * *

It was fortunate that Timothy North had substantial parking space in front of his small mansion, as the number of attendees for the study of his family papers, and whatever would be revealed by them, had grown steadily, for one reason or another.

Kim Possible stood beside the Sloth and watched in amazement as more people arrived, Ron having already gone into the house. Arnold Flagg arrived as a passenger, driven by Brick's younger sister, who Kim swore rolled her eyes at least seven times during a two minute lecture her father gave her before emerging from her bright green Mini Cooper. As soon as he was out, she had earphones in and was texting away on her phone.

Steve Barkin's SUV arrived next, just in time for the vice principal to exchange glares with Flagg before the latter entered the house. Barkin then frowned at Flagg's daughter, who flipped him the bird as soon as his back was turned, then he nodded politely to Kim before going inside himself.

Doctor Drakken arrived next in his Lincoln, accompanied by his mother, to Kim's surprise. He spotted Kim waiting, and sensed that she was waiting specifically for him. After opening the door for his mother, he spoke to her, indicating Kim. At which point Mama Lipsky headed straight for the teen, leaving her son standing mouth agape, a half-formed sentence on his lips.

Kim had to fight down a sudden surge of panic, forcing a smile on her face as Mama stopped right in front of her and looked her up and down. Then the woman leaned in close and said in a low voice. "I'm quite cross with you, missy! If you had done a half-decent job of discouraging Drewbie from all that villain business, he could be Governor by now!" She nodded righteously and headed into the house, while swiveling her head to take in the grounds, nodding to herself. Kim stood there with a sickly grin on her face.

Drakken walked over to Kim apprehensively. "Um, what did Mother say?" He asked tentatively.

Kim shrugged with a weak smile. "Oh, nothing, just mentioning my influence on your career choices, that's all! But never mind that, there's something we need to talk about, but let's find a quiet corner inside to do it!" She then lead him towards the house, and on the way related the story of the aliens, including the parts she'd asked Shego to keep secret before. They entered the house and immediately turned away from the living room and the hubbub of voices coming from it, Kim leading Drakken into the front parlor.

As she did, she drew two objects from the pockets of her chinos. The first she held up was a clear tube filled with a gray mixture. "This is the stuff they 'cleaned out' of my head, the residue from the nanotech that self-destructed, I think we should have Professor Bortell analyze it, to see if it matches his creation."

Drakken took the tube and studied it, while Kim hesitated before bringing up another topic. "Um, I may have messed up, Doctor D." When his attention switched back to her, eyebrows raised, she blushed. "I may have let slip to some people that Global Justice might have put that stuff in me, and you, too."

Drakken's eyes narrowed slightly. "Oh? And who might 'some people' be?"

Kim squirmed a bit as she told him about the slip on the flight home, but then hedged a bit. "Well, only Bernie and Shego sort of caught it, but I only mentioned that _I_ may have had the experience, not you."

Drakken tsked-tsked. "Oh, that's not good. Shego may never admit it, but I think she developed a sort of protective streak when it comes to me. And I appreciate it, believe me, but sometimes it can be kind of inconvenient..." then as he saw Kim look past his shoulder, and her eyes widen in surprise, "And she's standing right behind me, isn't she?"

His answer came when the tube was snatched from his hand an he turned to see Shego scowling at it intensely. Right beside her, Bernadette Barr was directing her scowl at Kim, who cringed visibly. "Okay, what exactly is this crap, and why did GJ put it in you two?" Shego growled.

"Firstly, we are not entirely sure that Global Justice is responsible..." Drakken began authoritatively, then he flinched as Shego's gaze switched to him, and Bernie's as well. "Though there is a circumstantial case against them..." He added weakly.

"And what does it do?" Bernie asked, sweeping them both with an angry glare.

Kim gave them a quick rundown on what Bortell had told her about the 'memory cache' and emotion suppression programs, and how they had clashed, contributing to her emotional problems the previous fall. "But we still don't have any conclusive proof that GJ is responsible!" _"Unless you count Doctor Director NOT denying it when I confronted her..." _"And if they are, we don't know who in the organization is actually responsible!"

"If it was done here in the States, the ultimate responsibility rests with the cyclops, Possible!" Shego snapped back at her in response.

"But that might not be fair!" Kim declared hotly.

"Fair or not, it's the way ol' one-eye herself would see it!" Shego was actually trembling with rage, threatening to crush the tube in her hand. Bernie placed a hand on the ex-thief's shoulder and squeezed, causing a visible relaxation.

Kim had no reply anyway, knowing that Shego was essentially right, Betty Director would take ultimate responsibility. Then she saw Shego was now looking at the other object in her hand. She held it out to Drakken. "They also...they said that this stuff caused some damage that might grow worse over time. They gave me details that I can give to Professor Bortell so he can prevent it happening again, and this stuff to heal the damage. I mean, they gave me this to give you, Doctor Drakken, they already gave me some. They said it may cause sudden brief color shifts in our vision for two or three days, and maybe some..um, odd memories resurfacing, generally relating to food?" She shrugged helplessly in response to the others' puzzled looks. "That's what they said!"

Drakken took the device in her hand and studied it. "Some sort of one-shot auto-injector, obviously." He observed, then looked expectantly at Kim.

She nodded. "You can inject yourself with it, but if you try and extract the contents any other way, it'll self-destruct. Non-violently, but totally!" She explained.

Drakken nodded in understanding, then took the tube from Shego and pocketed both items. "We're keeping everyone waiting, so let's go join them. We'll talk about this later!" He said the last firmly as Shego and Bernie both began to speak, and they subsided. Then he looked Kim in the eye so intently the girl had trouble not flinching away. "Thank You, I'm sure you must have requested this second dose for me, I doubt the aliens in question were at all concerned with my well-being."

Kim blushed furiously as she bobbed her head. "N—No Big, D—Doctor Drakken." She managed to stammer out. She noted that Shego was giving her a look of somewhat grudging approval, and Bernie also nodded approvingly. "I—I think you're right, we are holding things up, we'd better get inside!" She had a great deal of trouble not hurrying her pace, just managing to make her stride leisurely as she proceeded into the living room.

Steve Barkin and Arnold Flagg were standing on either side of Timothy North, deep in conversation, while Ron had been cornered by Mama Lipsky. For some reason his monkey powers had chosen to desert him at this critical moment.

"To be honest, young man, I quite enjoy your stories," Emma Lipsky was saying, "Even the ones where my son is the villain, to a point." She poked him firmly in the chest, "For one thing, I know he's never been incarcerated for more then a week at any time!" Then she leaned close and whispered "But don't tell him I know about that, he thinks it's a secret, but a mother needs to know these things." She gave him a wink, then opened her handbag and rummaged for something, as Ron looked for a means of escape. He spotted Kim, but she was too distracted by something to notice him. He did get a sympathetic look from Bernie, however, and a curious scowl from Drakken. Shego just smirked.

Then Drakken's eyes widened in alarm, and Ron heard a snap. "Here we go!" Mama declared, holding up a pocket photo album for Ron to see. "This is Drew in his senior year of High School, after he won first prize in the pole vault at the regional finals."

Curiosity overwhelmed all else as Ron focused on the picture of the teenage Drakken. He self-consciously sucked in his gut a little as he studied the picture. "He was pretty buffed back then, wasn't he?" Ron observed.

Emma nodded proudly. "He certainly was! Attracted all the wrong sort of girls of course, but who could blame them?" She beamed proudly at the picture herself. Then a small twitch at the corners of her lips, and she flipped to another. "And here's my son in his grade school play, about the four seasons."

Ron looked at the picture and his eyes bulged slightly, then he fought hard to suppress a grin. "He was a flower?" He managed to ask in a half-strangled tone. Halfway across the room, Drakken had been hooked into the debate going on between Barkin and Flagg, though he was still trying to see what was happening between Ron and his mother.

Emma's face lit up and she nodded happily. "Oh yes, he even had a couple of lines! Made the costume by hand myself, what do you think of it? I'm especially proud of the petals!"

Ron had a bit of trouble finding his voice. "Um...they're very...nice! Um, what kind of flower is he supposed to be?"

Emma waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "Oh, I couldn't decide! Originally want to do daffodil, but they came out sort of pansy-ish. Or...maybe marigold?" She saw her son trying to frantically, but politely, break Arnold Flagg's grip on his arm, and hid a smile. She closed the album and stuffed it back in her purse, then took Ron's arm. "Let's see if they're ready to start!" She said as she led him towards the others, then added in a whisper, "I had _such_ a crush on Timothy North, you know! And he's aged quite well, don't you think?"

Ron was spared the need to reply as Timothy North chose that moment to clap his hands together. "I think we're all here, are we not?" He looked around to see if there was any dissent, and seeing none, continued, "Then let's step into my little exhibition room and see if our researcher has found what we need!"

He led them back through the foyer and into the parlor, then towards the back of the house where a curtained arch presumably concealed a door. When he swept the curtain aside, Shego's jaw dropped in shock. She blinked rapidly, then recovered and whispered to Bernie, "I've seen jewelry collections with less impressive security!"

Then she blushed furiously at Mama Lipsky's voice behind her. "Yes Dear, but let's not bring up your sordid past just now, if you please." She admonished Shego in a low voice. Ron, still on Emma's arm, practically went up on tiptoes as he prepared to spring for cover, while both Drakken and Kim, directly in front of Shego, both cringed.

Shego bristled, then looked to her side where Bernie was trying so hard to suppress a chuckle that she had sucked her cheeks so far in as to look cadaverous. Shego made an effort to regain her composure, and remained silent, though the back of her neck still burned.

As Timothy North went through the laborious process of opening the door,(Kim counted seven different keypads, one retina and two palm readers!) Mama Lipsky spoke up again. "I know I should have asked for more detail from my son before we arrived, but what exactly are we trying to learn here?"

As Drakken, Shego and Kim all rolled there eyes resignedly, and Barkin and Flagg both began to speak at once, Ron's hand shot into the air. "I got this!" He exclaimed. But when everyone turned to regard him expectantly, he got a little flustered for a moment, then drew himself up and began to speak with a surprising degree of authority.

"We are here firstly to determine if there is any testimony in Mister North's family papers that sheds light on two things. First, who defaced a statue of Middleton's founder that was in the lobby of the Middleton Hotel, then owned by Mister North's ancestor, Nestor Nordlin!" Timothy North turned and bowed slightly at the mention of his ancestor's name, then frowned and began counting on his fingers as he studied the keypad he'd been working on, wincing.

"Secondly," Ron continued, "Whether or not either Mister B's of Mister F's ancestors started the actual battle by some sneaky trick, for some nefarious reason!" He stood proudly with folded arms as everyone but Mr North regarded him with a variety of expressions, some approving, some mildly surprised.

"And this battle took place 148 years ago?" Mama Lipsky asked. At Ron's nod, she rolled her eyes. "Oy! And I thought Cousin Etta had a hard time letting things go!"

"Oh Dear." Everyone turned to Timothy North as he muttered aloud. He looked up at them, smiling uncertainly. He'd put his reading glasses on. "It seems I forgot to turn the air circulation on in the exhibition room.' He admitted sheepishly. At the looks of alarm that appeared he shook his head. "Oh, don't worry! There's more than enough air in the room to keep an individual alive for more than 48 hours! Mind you, it would get a bit stuffy..." He trailed off, and resumed accessing the room. "But just to be on the safe side, would you please fetch the oxygen tank from my front closet, Ron?" He said over his shoulder.

Preserving some of Mister North's exhibits required the use of various chemicals, the fumes from which were usually dealt with quite handily by the ventilation system. Unfortunately, Mister North preferred to leave it turned off when the room was sealed, allowing the fumes to build up. Still, reviving the researcher from the state historical society only delayed things about thirty minutes, during which time Drakken made tea and Ron whipped up some snacks to keep everyone satisfied.

Before the ambulance took him to the hospital, the researcher told Kim and Bernie that he'd marked the relevant passages in the journal currently lying open on the desk where he'd done his reading. So, the pair soon found themselves squinting at the writing in said journal as everyone crowded around expectantly.

"This is quite exciting." Timothy North stated, having just gotten off the phone with his attorney. "To uncover the secrets of the past is always exciting! I've played a professor of archeology, you know." He frowned slightly. "He was eaten by scarab beetles in the first half of the movie, but still..." He shook his head, then looked at Barkin and Flagg. "Of course, whatever the outcome, the past is the past, and should be treated as such." He smiled broadly as he said it, even if he wasn't completely sure what it meant.

"This has been a shadow on my family's honor for far too long to be dismissed so blithely, Mister North." Steve Barkin responded portentously, "And I will be glad to have the blame for those incidents properly applied." He stared at Arnie Flagg, who glared back at him, but remained silent.

Meanwhile, unnoticed by the others, Kim and Bernie exchanged incredulous glances. Then Kim, like Bernie wearing a pair of linen gloves to help preserve the ancient pages of the journal, turned the page to the next bookmark, and read some more. Kim was seated, Bernie leaning over her right shoulder. As they read the marked passage, their eyes widened. Then Bernie straightened up, covering her mouth with her hand, then massaging her jaw as she walked over to look at the scale model of the Ferret Cave(Or what it would have looked like if it hadn't been just a collection of sets). Kim meanwhile bit her lip and slowly shook her head. She may even have tapped her heels together three times under the desk, but she wasn't consciously aware of it if she did.

Finally she took a deep breath and exhaled loudly enough to draw everyone's attention. "Okay, I've read what we needed to read, and...how do you want me to tell it? Read it aloud to you, or just summarize?"

"I personally would like to hear the original words verbatim, Miss Possible, so as to draw my own conclusions as to their meaning." Mr. Barkin replied sternly.

Kim smiled wanly. "O-kay! Here we go!" She turned back to the first page she'd read, and began.._"I told Alexander, I told him twice, that piece of wood..."_

"Excuse me!" Mama Lipsky actually waved her hand above her head, "Who is this 'Alexander', if you please?"

"Alexander Hamilton Rockwaller, who chose 'States Rights' over the Union, Mrs Lipsky." Steve Barkin informed her.

Emma nodded graciously. "Thank You." Then she looked at Kim, "Go ahead!"

Kim's smile was a bit strained at this point. Another deep breath, and..._"that piece of wood was..."_

"Oh, Wait!" Emma exclaimed, "Maybe we should call Mister Rockwaller to come hear this, it's his family history as well, you know!" She looked at everyone, nodding solemnly to each in turn.

Drakken almost smacked his forehead, stopping an inch short as inspiration dawned. He smiled at his mother and told her in a reasoning tone, "Well, that would be nice, Mother. But then to be fair, we'd also have to invite the Gearys, and I happen to know they're out of town today, so it wouldn't be fair, would it?"

Emma looked doubtful, but after a moment she nodded. "I guess you're right..." She again looked to Kim, "Go ahead, young lady."

Kim shot a quick glance at Bernie, hoping that maybe she'd swap places, but the nurse, and Shego, had suddenly become absolutely fascinated by the scale model on the table. Kim frowned, then went back to reading. Or tried to. No sooner had she opened her mouth...

"What do the Gearys have to do with all this?" Emma asked aloud.

Kim's head dropped, and Mister Barkin began to count to ten under his breath. Arnie Flagg spun around, face apoplectic, opening his mouth to say something nasty, only to snap it shut when he caught a warning look from Shego.

"Their ancestor was the Captain on the Union side." Ron hastily explained. Then he whispered in Emma's ear, "Maybe you should hold the questions until we can all ask ours, too."

Emma covered her mouth with her hand, eyes widening. She whispered back to Ron, "Oh, I've been rude, haven't I?" She looked around the room at everyone again. "Sorry, everyone, I'll keep my lips zipped from here on in."

Drakken shot Ron an amazed look, as Kim rotated her head as if to work a crick out of her neck. Then she returned to reading, starting again at the beginning. _"I told Alexander, I told him twice, that piece of wood he wanted to use for the statue was rotten, but he said no, it was perfectly solid! So he made his statue and varnished it, and that was that! But now look what happened! The children were dashing about and playing, and they knocked it over!"_

"_Now, that would never have happened with a solid piece of wood. And sure enough, when it hit the floor, it shattered all over. Shot full of dry rot, think only the varnish was holding it together! And I'll surely tell Alexander if I see him before I go fox hunting tomorrow. Turning in now, the missus wants my attentions." _Kim finished reading and turned to Ron. "Could you please get me some water, Ron?"

"Sure thing KP! Don't read any more until I get back!" And with that Ron dashed out.

Barkin and Flagg looked at each other, then at Timothy North. "So..." Barkin began, "If this is true...then the statue was not 'defaced' by either side, but destroyed in an _accident?! _By _children?!"_ The rising volume of his voice made Kim flinch in reflex, before he made a visible effort to control himself.

"And apparently he failed to inform Alexander Rockwaller of the circumstances of the incident before the battle." Drakken reasoned.

Timothy North had turned away and was studying a genealogical chart of his family tree on the wall. "Hmm, Nestor should have had five of his nine children by then, with another arriving..." He paused to concentrate, "...another arriving nine months later."

"The 'missus' got his attention, all right!" Shego whispered to Bernie, who rolled her eyes and grinned. She then looked over her shoulder and saw Kim giving her an unfriendly glare, and snapped her attention back to the model.

Ron returned with Kim's water, and she drank some, nodding gratefully. Shooting one last sharp glare at Bernie's back, she turned the page to the next relevant bit, and began reading, _"Well, we had a battle today, and I had a real close look at it! Not on purpose, of course, I have no intentions of taking up arms against my fellow man! Foxes, on the other hand, are a different matter entirely!"_

As Kim paused to take another swallow, Drakken commented to Mr North "Your ancestor sounds like an educated man, from the way he writes."

Timothy North nodded. "Yes, he completed two years of college before abandoning it and heading west, though I've never found out the reason he abandoned his education. Money, I expect." Then he turned to look at the family tree again. "On the other hand..." He muttered.

Kim began reading again. _"I set out at dawn to bag me a particularly wily fox, who didn't hide himself in the woods on the west side of town, but in the scrub brush on the eastern side. I found his run and set up to watch it, expecting him to put in an appearance during the morning. But it came near noon, and I still hadn't seen him, when I became aware of movement out the brush. Near as I could tell, Alexander and his men were lining up a little ways east of me, though I couldn't see what they were facing. Easy enough to guess, though, it had to be Andy Geary and his boys. Well, I concluded that with all them so close, that fox would never show, and prepared to decamp."_

Shego suddenly started, and looked sideways at Bernie, who had her eyes squeezed shut, and her shoulders hunched. "Don't tell me..." Shego whispered, and Bernie nodded. "Doy!" Shego muttered under her breath.

"_I didn't want any of them would-be soldiers seeing me, so I started to crawl away, when damned if that old fox didn't pop out of the brush square in front of me! He must of seen them soldiers, too, and come running right into my sight! Well, I flung myself flat so as to bring my old shotgun to bear with both hands, and let fly! And I got him good, wasn't much left but the 'brush', so to speak."_

Kim looked around at her basically slack jawed audience. The exception was Mama Lipsky, who waited with bated breath. Knowing that at this point it was redundant, Kim continued reading anyway. _"But before I could even shout for joy, all hell broke loose, as them soldiers started shooting at each other! And damned if a few balls didn't come right close to me! Well, a battle was no safe place, so I started crawling right fast, grabbing my trophy, and then trying to put as much distance between me and the fighting as I could. Though I did pause at once peculiar sight."_

"_Right in the middle of things stood old Nestor Barkin, only other man around here with same name as me. He was just standing there, screaming at old Bjorn Banderoll, who was screaming right back, with musket balls whizzing all around them! I couldn't believe my eyes! I think they must have been blessed, not to get killed right then and there! Then Nestor had his hat shot off, and that seemed to bring sense to them both, for they dropped from my sight and I guess started crawling for their own sides."_

Kim stopped reading and stood up. She walked over to Ron. "Happy?" She asked. He grinned weakly and nodded. "Good!" She turned to Timothy North. "Thanks for having us!" She told him with a polite smile. Then she grabbed Ron's arm and bodily hauled him out of the room. She caught a glimpse of Shego vanishing into the foyer. Assuming Bernie was with the woman, she almost released Ron and went after them before realizing she may have gotten a reprieve from an unpleasant conversation. Instead she slowed down, giving the pair time to make their departure.

Back in the room, Barkin and Flagg finally cranked their respective jaws closed, then turned to look at Timothy North, who was nodding and muttering to himself. Suddenly noticing their scrutiny, he squared his shoulders. "So, basically, one of my ancestors actually triggered the battle of Middleton by shooting at a fox? And therefore your feud has been basically pointless form the very beginning? Does that about cover it?"

The sound of Arnie Flagg gritting his teeth together actually made the hairs on the back of Drakken's neck stand on end. Steve Barkin took a long, deep breath and let it out, then looked at North. "So it would seem." Then he looked at Flagg. "It does not, however, clear up the mystery of who started the riot at the Middleton Fair in 1905! I still contend, based on my ancestor's writings, that it was Weldon Flagg who threw the first funnel cake!"

Flagg's face turned beet-red. "Oh, really? Well, the official report by the Town Constable said...."

"Excuse me!" Mama Lipsky was waving her hand again, "Can I ask my questions now?"

As three voices were raised in debate, Timothy North sidled close to Drakken. "My ancestors also left me some quite good scotch, if you're interested?" He asked quietly.

Drakken considered it briefly, then shook his head regretfully. "If I start now, I won't stop until I drink myself out of office!" He replied, "And I still have to get Mother home!"

* * *

Well, that wrapped that plot line, hope it was worthy of inclusion in this tale. Again turned out to be more then intended, but that's an old song for me.

For now, Please Read and Review.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kim Possible, any of the other characters from that show, or those from any other media I may reference in my stories.

Like to thank CajunBear73, Screaming Phoenix, Michael Howard, and Reader101w for their reviews of the last chapter, and Katsumara for trying to catch up. Also Thanks to all those who have listed this story as a favorite.

* * *

"So let me get this straight. My boyfriend is sitting in lunchtime detention because he was caught _doodling_ in class?" Kim and the other girls were just sitting down for lunch in school cafeteria on Wednesday, two days after the events at Timothy North's house.

Tara bobbed her head. "Yep, he was drawing some kind of weird plant-man or something while Mrs Pinter was talking about the Monroe Doctrine." She cocked her head and thought a moment. "Well, I think it was a plant-man, he had these weird vines..or maybe tentacles..."

"_So_ better not be tentacles..." Kim muttered, then flushed slightly at the curious looks she drew. She smiled weakly, then started eating.

The others exchanged glances, but chose not to pursue it. Instead, Monique brought up another topic of interest. "You told me yesterday you were going to hook up with Ron in your dreams last night, and it was some sort of reward?"

Kim shrugged. "I was a little short with Ron on Monday, and he seems to get something from using the Dream Link...well, I like the idea too, of course! But Ron actually asked for it as a form of 'making up', so I wonder what he gets out of it?"

That led to a minute of contemplation. Monique broke it up. "Girlfriend, you have your whole life to try and solve the workings of your BFBF's mind, we only have lunch period to gossip! What was the dream based on, was there movie sign?"

Kim rolled her eyes with a grin, but had to finish her mouthful of food and wash it down before answering. "'Forbidden Planet'! Starring Ron Stoppable as the heroic Captain, Kim Possible as Altara, Doctor James Possible as Doctor Morbius, Oliver the Robot as Robbie the Robot, and 'Rufus the Naked Mole Rat' as the 'Monster from the Id'!"

That caused a moment of eye blinking and slightly dropped jaws before Bonnie snorted. "Okay, I thought Ron rarely 'cast' you as a submissive type? That blond was all innocent and clingy, as near as I can remember." When she saw Kim's cheeks color, she pounced. "Come on, give!"

Kim cleared her throat. "Well, do you remember the scene where they're by the pool, and the tiger, Altara's 'friend', attacks and the Captain disintegrates him?" She paused until the others nodded. "Well, I _sort_ of kicked him into the pool, and screamed 'You killed my Kitty!'" She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "And I sounded like when I was ten, and...better not go there."

Monique wasn't all that interested in Kim during the 'Pre-Monique' era, so she let that pass. "So, your _Dad _was the mad scientist, not any of the real mad scientists you've met? And his 'id' created something that looked like Rufus? Somebody needs some therapy here, the question is, who?"

"On that subject.." Kim hesitated, but decided it was too late to back out, "Doctor Cardien called me yesterday. She had a cancellation, and wanted to know if I wanted to move my monthly session to today."

Raised eyebrows all around, then Bonnie asked "She called you personally, it wasn't her receptionist, or whatever?" Kim nodded. "Do you think it's a coincidence, with all that's happened to you this past week? Do you think there was really a cancellation, in the first place?"

"And did 'common-sense Kim' answer her, or 'pridefully stubborn Kim'?" Monique added before Kim could reply.

Kim rolled her eyes as she replied with a little exasperation, "'Common-sense' this time, Mon. She saw the video from the Caribbean, and also said she had seen some shots of me at the bus crash, and didn't like what she saw."

"So you're going?" Bonnie clarified. When Kim nodded, "And you asked her outright about the convenient cancellation?" Kim nodded again. "Wow, Mom had me visit a therapist a few times two years ago, and I never thought he was being honest with me at all! Which sort of made the whole thing pointless."

"Why the therapy?" Monique asked her, brow furrowed.

Bonnie chuckled. "Mom has a funny way of doing things. She and Dad were having troubles, which she didn't think we'd noticed, and I think she sent me to therapy so I'd have someone to vent to if they actually broke up. Said it was she'd heard I had anger-management issues...which I did, but the therapist just..never seemed to be focusing on _anything! _Like I said, the whole thing was pointless."

"By the way, Kim, did I hear Ron mention another entreaty from Jimmy Blamhammer for you to authorize a movie with you in it?" Monique asked.

Kim rolled her eyes. "Yep! But this time, he's thinking of one aimed at young children." She shrugged, "Better than _'Kim Possible vs the League of Amazons, Valkyries, Female Ninjas and Warrior Nuns!',_ anyway!"

Bonnie smirked. "So, when you trashed that idea, he went ahead and made '_Amazons and Valkyries vs Female Ninjas and Warrior Nuns...Part 2'_?"

"Something like that", Kim replied sourly. "But his idea for me was, I'm supposed to be going to a tropical island to hunt this deadly creature, but it turns out the creature is friends with this local girl, or something, and they're fighting bad guys, too. He still hasn't decided whether to make it mythical, mystical, Science Fiction, or all of the above. He's also considering having one of my villains 'guest star' in it!"

"Still got Heather in mind to play you?" Monique asked curiously.

Kim shook her head. "Even he thinks she's too old, now! Trying to get Dorothea from _Agony County_ to play me now."

Monique's eyes widened. "Tell me another one! _How_ are they planning to make a girl with _café au lait_ skin pass as a redhead?" Kim just shrugged.

Tara now spoke up, switching the topic entirely. Kim had previously fallen into the assumption, as many others had, that this meant the blond girl had not been paying attention. But Kim had recently learned to her chagrin that that was untrue, Tara took it all in quietly, simply making no comment when she had none to make. "I heard that Mrs Leo was offered a big time news job because of her reporting at the accident."

"Not that big, just a job at the Denver affiliate of one of the big networks." The four looked up to find Gina Leo had come up to the table unnoticed. Which was a bit difficult for her. Only a freshman, she already stood six feet tall. But she was fidgeting nervously as she looked expectantly at Kim, wanting the older girl to speak first. Cameron Geary, the daughter of the former Mayor, was standing about four feet behind her, as if reluctant to get any closer herself.

Kim gave Gina a friendly smile. "What's the sitch, something to do with this Saturday?" The startled look Gina gave Kim told her she'd guessed right. "Is there a problem?" She asked in as kind a manner as she could muster. Which was only made difficult by the fact she found the sitch slightly amusing.

"Uh.." Gina began tentatively. Then she bent over so suddenly Kim almost pulled back. "It's just...it's just my Dad got us two tickets to the Amanda Dakota concert on Saturday, and it's sold out!" The girl whispered urgently.

"Ohhh..." Came an understanding chorus from those seated. Then Kim's brow wrinkled as she considered her position in the matter. "And that's definitely no place for Tweebs!" She finally declared, "And you want a way to let them down easily?" She had to lean back a bit and look around Gina to spot her siblings at their usual table, along with Ron Reger and 'Buzz' Carroll. As usual, they seemed to be talking a mile a minute between bites, and swallowing their food without chewing. "Hmm, I think the truth will actually work well enough, to be honest."

Gina frowned doubtfully. "Maybe, but I wish I didn't have to make it sound like we're taking the concert over them..."

"_Attention Students!" _Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked up as Mister Barkin's voice came over the PA system, _"Will the following students report IMMEDIATELY to the Vice-Principal's Office! Possible, Timothy; Possible, James Junior; Carroll, Richard; and Reger, Ronald! That is all."_

All eyes went to the table where the four named boys now sat bolt upright, exchanging worried, wide-eyed glances. Then they slowly began to move, standing up and starting towards the doors.

"_And do not fail to take your dirty trays to the proper place!"_ The quartet, and many others, elevated a few inches off the floor as those words boomed out. Then they hurriedly grabbed their trays and trash and disposed of them properly, before rushing out the door.

Kim sighed, then looked at Gina and Cam. "I'm not entirely certain, but I suspect your problem may have just been solved!"

0000000000

Drew Lipsky was seated at his desk as a staff meeting drew to a close. Not a full staff meeting, or they would have used the small conference room adjacent to his office. This meeting was just being attended by Jean Stoppable, Gary Ridlock the City Planner, and B. N. Counter, the City Comptroller.

"...so basically, and I'm honestly surprised to say this, the city is doing fine on the financial front." Belmont Counter was saying. "All the changes to accommodate the construction of the Middleton Plaza Hotel have worked out as planned, and our school budget has been stabilized, even with the difficulties of merging the three school districts into one."

"On a related note..." Jean spoke up, "Fallon Downes called me to thank us personally for having Francis Lerman look over their operation. It seems he showed them that some building materials they were buying had in fact been previously bought, given a coat of paint, or similarly altered, and sold to them at inflated prices. She said she and brother Allan were _so_ happy to have that discovered." Jean ended with a sarcastic smirk on her face.

Ridlock snorted, "And so A & F Downes Construction loses some kickbacks? Oh, I'm _sure_ they're pleased!"

"They should be thankful..." Counter paused as Drakken's cellphone rang, "That they're not still sharing their revenue with the Mob, and shouldn't still be trying to shaft Peyton Hillsbury on construction costs!"

"Oh, and Mister Hillsbury did call on the same matter," Jean said, "And he _was_ grateful to Frug—Francis. Even remarked that he might take him away from us." As she spoke her attention was on Drakken, who was checking the caller ID on his cell.

"It's Eileen." He informed them all. "Was there anything else we needed to discuss?" He asked, even as he opened the phone and put it to his ear. "Yes, Dear?"

The two men looked at each other, Ridlock shrugging and Counter shaking his head. Both then rose to their feet, nodded to Drakken and left. Jean Stoppable also rose, but remained by her seat, watching the Mayor curiously. She'd spotted a slight increase in tension.

"Yes, well, that is certainly unexpected, obviously!" Drakken was saying, "And yes, I understand perfectly, I'll see you in two, three hours?" He nodded at her reply. "Yes, Dear, I love you too, and good luck!" He closed his phone, set it on his desk, then rose and moved to the big window behind his desk, examining it.

"Good Luck?" Jean asked curiously, "What's happened now?"

"Well, it seems her parents, my future in-laws, dropped in on her unexpectedly." Drakken responded calmly. "And though she was able to get word to them concerning the marriage before they heard it on the news, she neglected to mention her pregnancy. But she says they know now! Not sure how, she isn't showing yet...these windows don't open, do they?"

Jean folded her arms and gave him a stern look. "No, and since we're only on the second floor, you'd have a hard time taking your life that way! Or, is you're just looking to escape, you'd probably break something!"

"I don't know..." Drakken pressed his face against the glass to see better what was below. "..those bushes right there would probably break my fall...I have some hard-won expertise at escapes, you know, what Ronald might term 'mad running away skills'! But going out the window wasn't my intent, just to open it so I could hear the screech of tires if my future father-in-law arrived. He's supposedly in pretty good shape for his age, so I'd like to get a head start!"

Jean rolled her eyes, then frowned. "What was that two, three hours business?"

Drakken turned from the window, brow furrowed with concern. "Oh, Eileen said to give her that long to cool things down before coming to the apartment. Of course, she can't guarantee she can keep her father there long enough to calm him down." He looked at the windows again speculatively. "Not bulletproof either, Hmm..."

Jean spread her hands and looked heavenwards a moment, then glared at Drakken. "Drew, she's in her forties, she's a grown woman, it can't be that bad!"

Drakken looked like he was about to argue, but then decided against it. He nodded instead, smiling briefly. "You're right of course. Was there another reason you stayed behind to talk to me?"

Jean gave him a suspicious look, but then shook her head. "No, just saw the way you gripped your phone, knew you were getting some bad news...I really have to go, have to talk to the PTA president about 'inappropriate' band music being played at football games last year. Which for him is anything not written by John Phillip Sousa, I suspect!" She studied Drakken a moment longer, then nodded with a smile. "I'll see you later, Drew."

After she had gone, Drakken stood for a minute in thought, then sat down and picked up his cellphone again. Finding a number on speed dial, he hit it. And got an answer almost immediately. "Shego? Listen, of all the places we ever hid from Kim Possible, which one took her the longest to find?...Oh, yes, I remember...do you still know how to get there?"

0000000000

Kim slammed the car door with just a tad more force then was absolutely necessary, causing her three passengers to collectively elevate off their seats a good three inches each. All three sat perfectly still as Kim started the car, grumbling to herself. She carefully maneuvered clear of the busy school parking lot without a word, and only spoke once they were on the street. Her passengers were currently forbidden to speak until spoken to. And with the mood she was in, protests had been non-existent.

Favoring Ron with a stern sideways glance, she said "Doodling in class? Ron, I thought you got over that in Middle School!"

Blushing slightly and grinning sheepishly, Ron shrugged. "Heh, sorry, KP, it was just an idea that I was looking for, I finally found it! It's for the finale."

Kim rolled her eyes, but was too busy negotiating a turn to look at Ron. "And it was such a good idea, it distracted you from class?"

"Heh..yeah, it's pretty good, if I write it right. In fact, it might give me a better _Deux Ex Machina_ then you, KP!" He ended happily.

"That Latin, he knows!" Kim muttered. Then she shifted her gaze to the rear view mirror. "And what's your excuse?"

The Tweebs looked at each other, then both tried to talk at once, "Kim!" They they both glared at each other, then both opened their mouths again...

"Jim! You speak!" Kim snapped. That got her a sullen look from _both_ of her brothers, but it did solve the problem. For one line, at least.

"Kim! The Tri-City Basketball Tournament starts this weekend, and you remember what happened last year with the Mad Dog mascot costume!" Jim's voice started a bit loud, loud enough for even him to realize it, and he toned it down near the end.

Kim grimaced. "Of course I remember!" She replied with asperity, casting a sideways glance at Ron. "It took Ron a _week _to get the last of the smell off!"

Ron nodded glumly. "Rufus wouldn't even sleep in the same room with me for the first three nights..._I _didn't even want to sleep with me for the first three nights!"

Tim now spoke up. "Right! And we know it was sabotage, probably by someone from Lowerton Westside!"

Jim then chimed in. "So this year, we wanted to take precautions! And after what happened with you and Mom, Ron Reger thought it would be a great idea..."

His voice trailed off as he realized that Kim was giving him a serious glare in the mirror, and that he'd just ratted out one of his fellow conspirators.

"So bottom line, you booby trapped the 'Pep Pups' suits, and Mister Gonzalez is now a 'vibrant shade of chartreuse', to quote Principal Cooley!" Kim summed up.

They both cringed slightly, looking to each other for inspiration. "Well..." Tim began, but Jim finished, "..he is the science teacher, so he could look at it as furthering science?" He ended with a shrug.

Having stopped at a traffic light, Kim took the opportunity massage her temples. "Oh, I'm _sure_ that he'll be thrilled to think of it like that!" she responded sarcastically. "Are you trying to compete with those aliens in the color-coding of people business?" The light changed and she made her turn, heading for Ron's house. After a few minutes' silence, though, she decided to bring up the weekend. "I'm pretty sure Mom and Dad will probably ground you this weekend."

She almost grimaced in sympathy as she saw realization dawn in Tim's eyes in the mirror's reflection. Then panic, remorse(More then she thought she'd ever seen from them when they'd been scolded for ruining her day!), and then resignation. Groaning loudly, the pair slumped back in their seats.

"Aw, man, that tanks, guys!" Ron commiserated. Then he finished getting his stuff in order as they pulled into his driveway. He nervously waited a moment before reaching for the door handle, relief washing over him when Kim leaned over and gave him a peck on the cheek. Then apprehension returned briefly when she whispered "Still don't like the image of me kicking you into that pool, even in a dream!"

He gave her a weak grin. "Hey, it was done in a funny way, you got to admit!" Kim just shook her head and straightened up in her seat. "Or not..." He added weakly, then opened his door. As he climbed out, however, Kim's voice stopped him.

"Ron...we'll talk." She said, with a somewhat reassuring smile. Ron smiled back, then closed the car door. As Kim backed the Sloth out onto the street, he waved, and she did wave back, which was reassuring.

"_Aw, man! How does she expect me to control my dreams? After all, if I could, I'd never have nightmares!" _Then as he started to trudge up to the house, he suddenly smiled. _"Which she'll figure out by the time we talk again, I'll bet!" _He nodded decisively, and marched up to the front door. _"And I think she's going to love 'Graduation', as soon as I get it written!"_ And being in a Kimcentric mood, he never thought how anyone else would view it...

0000000000

"Man, Gina and Cam are going to be mad at us!" Tim moaned. Kim winced, trying to decide how to handle the sitch. She really didn't want her brothers to suffer...well, not much. But this had seemed so important to them. _"I wonder if I should try reverse psychol...Doctor Cardien!" _

Despite their seatbelts, Kim nearly had her brothers in the front seat with her, as hard as she hit the brakes. "Omigod, I forgot all about my appointment!" She exclaimed. "Tweebs, you have to walk the last two blocks, I forgot something important!"

"Man! What else is going to go wrong today?" Jim groused as he grabbed his stuff and began to open the door, Kim having pulled to the curb, now red faced as she looked around to see if anyone had witnessed her traffic _faux pas. "_Lucky I didn't cause an accident!" she muttered. Then she shook herself. _"That's not the __most important thing here, Possible!"_

As Tim started to close the door, Kim said "Wait!" When they both leaned in to regard her curiously, she grimaced slightly. "Guys, don't worry, the girls were hoping to postpone the date a week, anyway. Something came up that they didn't want to miss, but they didn't want to hurt your feelings, either!"

"Really?" Jim asked, a little suspiciously.

Kim smiled. "Really, guys! I mean, don't get me wrong, they would have chosen you guys over the other thing if they had to," _"I do believe I just said that with a straight face!" _"But this way, they get to go have fun, while you two...get grounded." She'd begun to grimace when she realized where she was headed, but finished the sentence anyway.

"Oh, gee, thanks Kim..." Jim began sarcastically, but then paused a moment then shrugged. "Actually, just Thanks, Sis!" He said apologetically.

"No prob. Now gotta go, hope Mom and Dad don't come down _too _hard on you two." _"Somehow that didn't sound half as sincere as when I stretched the truth a moment ago! Oh, well.." _She gave them a wave as she pulled away, and received two in return. _"I guess I can say I didn't do too badly when it came to having brothers..." _She snorted. _"And I can keep thinking that right up until I see the first mushroom cloud over Middleton!"_

0000000000

"So what was that all about?" Bernadette Barr asked Shego. The pair were in Bernie's home watching videos on a reasonably impressive plasma screen TV. Two separate bowls of popcorn were located on the end tables bracketing Bernie's sofa, with Shego's showing the biggest decrease in it's contents.

Shego put her cellphone away with a snort. "Just Doctor D having an anxiety attack, and wanting to talk it through!" She replied with a smirk.

"He have a lot of those?" Bernie asked curiously. "Not basing anything on Ron's version, of course."

"Oh, you have no idea!" Shego chuckled, "And you never knew what would set him off! Sometimes it was working on one of his inventions...but once he was working with some _very_ dangerous chemicals, and not breaking a sweat, but then ten minutes later he gets all jumpy about a letter he was writing to the producers of 'Snowman Hank'! Not wanting to sound too pushy, or too wimpy...and I had to deal with most of it, trying to reassure him he was doing just fine, and not to panic!"

Bernie smiled faintly. "So, you had to encourage him to 'stay the course', as it were, many times?"

Shego nodded vigorously. "Oh yeah, plenty of times!"

Bernie's smile turned sly, but she masked it when Shego turned back after grabbing a handful of popcorn from her bowl. "You even had to convince him to go through with some of his schemes?" Shego, mouth full, and most of her attention on the screen, nodded. "Which then frequently ended in disasters, mostly due to Kim?"

Shego began to nod, then froze with her head tilted back, pieces of popcorn dropped from her hand unheeded both into and wide of her mouth. Her eyes widened. "Da--" she began, then a piece of the popcorn apparently took a wrong turn, and she coughed by reflex to try and clear it from her airway. Which led to several more hacks and coughs before she was able to get things under control and take a swallow from her iced tea.

"Sorry." A contrite Bernie told her, "Didn't expect that to happen."

Shego shook her head as she cleared her throat. "I know...but damn! You're right, there were at least two or three times early on when I kept the Doc from abandoning a scheme, and it turned out badly. I was just thinking of my paycheck then, of course!"

"But later you became the voice of reason?"

Shego's cheeks flamed a bit. "Not exactly, or not always. I mean, sometimes I encouraged him just to keep his spirits up. But sometimes, I wasn't really paying attention to tell the truth. Just said encouraging things to sound positive." She finished picking up the popcorn that had missed her mouth and tossed it in a small trash can under her table. "I mean, sometimes I tried to reign him in, but probably not as often as I should have. I eventually found that sarcasm actually made him think things over, no matter what came out of his mouth. In other words, he responded verbally out of pride, but his mind would start thinking about what I said. So it became for me a workable system."

Bernie's eyebrows rose. "Sarcasm usually goads people to act hastily to prove you wrong, are you saying with Drakken, it worked the other way around?"

Shego shrugged. "That's Doctor D!" She munched another handful of popcorn down, eyes fixed on the screen, then continued. "Stoppable overheard me razzing him often enough, and I'll admit I never did miss a good opportunity, but Ron was never around to watch the whole process. Doctor D would go off muttering to himself about how no one appreciated his genius, or something a little more mature as time went by. But he wouldn't actually do anything but stare at whatever he was working on, maybe for as long as an hour, I swear! And then he'd start nodding, muttering, tearing sketches up, and off he'd go! Never admitted he'd changed anything, but he always had."

"Well, that brings up a question: How often would his inventions actually have worked as he intended?"

Shego held one hand up in a 'stop' gesture as she took a drink from her glass. "Okay, first: A lot of the inventions Stoppable wrote about were exaggerated considerably! Doctor D was always doing little experiments, some of which _might_ have been enlarged into...Hell, 'take over the world' schemes! But of course what got us into trouble was how he sometimes collected information and materials for the experiments. For example, the Diablos. They were part of a scheme to steal from the rich, not take over the world. They were never able to change size as much as Ron wrote...damn, it's so weird just calling him by his first name!"

Bernie nodded. "Yeah, I saw the one in the lair that once. The last survivor, you said?"

"Yep, Possible and GJ wrecked the rest. Anyway, another example. The weather control machine. Doctor D did actually create extreme weather conditions in a large chamber, but that's been done before. Locked Possible up in the chamber while we escaped, with a mini-monsoon raging inside, but that's another subject. He also experimented with how to use a normal environmental control system to temporarily produce extreme weather conditions in a building or facility. But just used that once, and it was to ruin one of Dementor's experiments with plant life."

"Just because of their rivalry, or something else entirely?" Was Bernie's response.

Shego winced a bit. "Well, this opens an old wound or two...Dementor was going to sell the process, and didn't believe Drakken when Doctor D told him the people he was selling to weren't research scientists, but terrorists. Wilhelm found out the truth, but only after we ruined the sale for him." She looked expectantly at Bernie, and the nurse didn't disappoint her.

"Old wounds?"

Shego nodded. "One of the first things I ever did for Doctor D, my trial run if you will, was recover something he'd sold to the wrong people. Did it, and left evidence to implicate some of their own kind. That probably caused some bloodshed, and when my role was discovered...well, that guy who tried to kill me with the poisoned blade...that's where that started. We also had some stuff stolen once, and I'd love to see the look on your face if I told you who we had to team with to get it back, but I signed something like fifty documents accepting what would happen to me if I told anyone, so I can't."

Bernie arched an eyebrow. "Someone who actually scares you?" She remarked warily.

"There's more of those in the world then you might believe, either." Shego replied soberly. "Sometimes more than I like to think about."

Bernie studied her friend for a moment, then smiled. "Okay, change of subject! What did Doctor Drakken need help working out his anxiety on this time?"

Shego smirked and explained the situation as Drakken had relayed it to her. "Asked if I'd stand by outside Eileen's place in a hovercraft, in case he needs to make a quick exit! And not sure if it'd be out the front door, or off her balcony, so he asked for the one with the big air bag in the back."

Bernie gave her an incredulous look. "You've got one with a big air bag in the back?"

Shego nodded. "Yep, but I think one of the skunks may have gotten in and gnawed a hole in the bag during the winter. Not something to find out while fleeing an irate father." She suddenly giggled, then blushed in embarrassment. "Sorry! It's just...not a situation I'd ever have imagined Doctor D to be in! And he was just kidding about me being there, I wouldn't actually be much use."

"There's always moral support." Bernie suggested, "And please note that I am refraining from any remarks about villains, politicians, and the moral deficiencies inherent in both professions."

"Thanks for that." Shego responded, rattling the ice cubes in her now-empty glass. Then she looked at Bernie with a touch of apprehension. "You're not suggesting that..."

* * *

Stopping it here solely because I'm not a hundred percent sure what I'm doing next. Sorry for the long delay since the last chapter, let myself get distracted by another indulgence.

For now, Please Read and Review.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kim Possible, any of the other characters from that show, or those from any other media I may reference in my stories.

As usual(When I can remember to!) I'd like to thank the reviewers fo the last chapter: King in Yellow, Reader101w, Michael Howard, Screaming Phoenix, and CajunBear73.

* * *

"So, you actually had to audition for the job as Doctor Drakken's all-purpose assistant?" Bernadette Barr asked as Shego drove them through Middleton, headed for Eileen's residence. "I thought you already had a reputation by then?"

"I did, but so did the guy Doctor D hired before me, and he turned out to be a bust. All talk, no action. But he always had a believable reason, according to the Doc. Made Drakken think that maybe the guy was an undercover agent, trying not to break any laws while uncovering the Doc's 'evil plan'." Shego chuckled, "Which would have made sense if Drakken had gotten on anybody's radar then, but he was just starting out, no one was taking him seriously back then."

Bernie was silent for a moment, then reluctantly asked, "I hate to sound insulting, but just how serious was he ever taken? I mean even knowing Kim, the idea that the world counted on her to save it for real...just seems a little whack, even if she did actually do it once or twice." She studied Shego face with trepidation, trying to see any sign that she'd offended her.

"A little whack?" Shego snorted in amusement. "Truthfully, the Doc never threatened the world...on purpose. He didn't want that kind of heat, he just wanted them to sit up and take notice." She paused for a moment. "Though on occasion he lost his sense of perspective..._and_ he did experiment with a few things that had the potential to cause catastrophes..._and_ he was using his genius to break the law...You know, I'm not at all sure why they left it to Kim...except for her batting a thousand where dealing with villains was concerned."

"Ah, but what kind of villains? I'm just wondering, before that incident that messed her head up, what's the worst she ran into?"

Shego shrugged. "I'm not the one to ask, Bernie. If you want my opinion, they gave Kim the villains they'd have been embarrassed bringing in themselves, or who might have slipped through the cracks by claiming insanity. Or, like Dementor, might actually have caused diplomatic problems if they were busted by the regular authorities."

"Well, there's another question. 'Gave her' you say, how true is that? Ron only covered a some of the 'first encounters', and how accurately? How _did_ she first actually end up encountering you and Doctor Drakken?" Bernie looked expectantly at Shego, who made a sour face.

"Sorry, I can't help you there." the woman replied, "I know it wasn't as simple as in Stoppable's story, but I actually don't know how she got involved with us. She was just there one day, and yours truly underestimated her...seriously! Taught me a lesson, and one with lumps involved."

"Have to finish this story another time." Bernie remarked. She dropped the subject because Shego was pulling into the parking lot of Eileen's building. Spotting an open spot close to the building, Shego slid neatly into it. As she shifted into park and reached to turn off the ignition, Bernie asked, "Which apartment is Eileen's, do you know?"

Shego frowned. "Sure..." She leaned forward to look upwards through the windshield, "She's on the third floor, right up there."

"And you're parking directly under her balcony..." Her friend observed dubiously.

Shego blinked, then slowly nodded. "You have a point..." She put the car in reverse and backed out again.

They found Drakken hovering indecisively in the third floor corridor, muttering to himself. "There's no reason at all I shouldn't just walk in, and establish that Eileen trusts me...but it might also seem rude...but if I ring the bell, what will her parents think? That I'm being polite, or that...Shego!"

"Hey, Doctor D!" She greeted him with a smile as she walked up, "Having a hard time deciding how to make the best impression?" Bernie had walked past them to stand next to Eileen's door. "You might have to consider that no matter what you do, it won't matter to them!" Shego continued with her advice.

"I know, I know!" Drakken responded with asperity, "But this is so ridiculous! Eileen and I are fully grown adults, her parents should have no say in how we behave, we're perfectly capable of making all of our life choices unaided!"

"Yet you managed to become expectant parents by accident." Shego pointed out. Actually, she spoke aloud a the thought that popped into her mind without consideration, because she had noticed Bernie suddenly becoming alert. The nurse then leaned towards the door, ear cocked as she listened...then a look of alarm flashed on her face.

"Exactly!" Drakken exclaimed, flinging his hands up. "There goes any illusion of responsibility, right out the window!"

"I wouldn't go that far..." Shego trailed off as Bernie approached, lips pursed.

"Uh, Shego, I think I left something in the car...oh, Snap! I'm being a coward!" Bernie blushed brightly and looked back at the apartment door. Shego was already tensed to make a run for it.

"What, do they sound angry?" Drakken asked worriedly.

Bernie grimaced. "That's not exactly the problem, Sir. The problem is, there's one person too many in there right now for comfort. I think we all might want to delay..." The rest of her advice became moot, as the apartment door swung open. Shego, facing the door, felt a cold sweat break out on her forehead. Drakken, seeing her eyes widen in...fear, made the connection. "Oh, Snap, Indeed!" He muttered before turning to verify his suspicion with his eyes.

"Drew Theodore P. Lipsky, whatever are you standing out here for? I heard a voice, and just knew it was you!" Emma Lipsky stood in the doorway, a scolding look on her face. Behind her Shego glimpsed a slightly haggard Eileen. "And why is your...why is Miss Black with you? And Miss Barr, for that matter?"

"Moral support." Shego muttered under her breath, so that only Drakken and Bernie could hear. Then as Drakken, a sickly smile fixed on his face, walked over to kiss his mother on the cheek, Shego half-snarled quietly at Bernie, "And you were going to split without warning me, weren't you?" When Bernie responded with a half-shrug, Shego shook her head. "Have to train you better, you should have gotten on the elevator, _then _turned around to make your excuses!"

0000000000

"So basically we're talking an _anime_-style kick, you looking like a Rockette, Ron flying high in the air, then splashing down into the pool?" Doctor Elizabeth Cardien asked Kim, studying her patient of nearly seven months as she restlessly prowled around the office. Kim had developed a pattern, sometimes sitting relaxed in one of the two easy chairs in the office, other times unable to remain still. The restless times always concerned Ron and her relationship with him, Doctor Cardien had learned. She was fairly certain it represented the importance of that relationship to her.

Kim nodded perfunctorily. "Yeah, pretty much!" was her quiet reply. She had her back half-turned to the doctor as she gazed out the window.

"So in a way, it was meant to be humorous?" Dr. Cardien saw the immediate tension in Kim's shoulders.

"There's never anything funny about me hurting Ron!" Kim replied vehemently. Then she blushed and turned to smile apologetically at Elizabeth. "Sorry, indoor voice!"

"No Problem, the office is soundproof, as I've told you on previous occasions." The doctor replied with a slight smile, causing Kim's blush to deepen at the reminder. "Now, other then the obvious, you not wanting to hurt people in general, and those you love in particular, is there a reason you're particularly worried about Ron? Again, besides the obvious?"

Kim wet her lips nervously, then began slowly. "Probably...because I think I hurt him many times without even realizing it in the past? His feelings, I mean? I mean...no, that's not it! I mean, that _is _something I know I've done, but it's hardly a new realization, and I _have_ been more sensitive to the idea of hurting Ron lately."

"'Lately' meaning how long, do you know?" Kim scowled thoughtfully at the question. After a minute or so, she replied hesitantly. "It might have started about the time I got all my memories back. Or rather, the ones that weren't permanently deleted by the 'memory-cache' program. But why would those memories make me more concerned about hurting Ron?"

Elizabeth sat up a little straighter, and considered her words carefully before replying. "Kim, you and Ron recently realized why he was afraid of you hurting _him_. That he was actually subconsciously afraid that something would happen on a mission, that he'd lose you, with the loss being the source of great pain for him."

Kim nodded slowly, face thoughtful. "You're saying this is something similar? Or the reverse? Ron getting..hurt on a mission, the pain...oh, the _guilt _I would feel?" She shook her head uncertainly. "I've thought of that before, we've discussed that before, I think I have that...well, sort of resolved, Doctor Cardien, why would it get worse now?"

"You believe in those moments in the warehouse, when all the shooting occurred, that a bullet flew right past your head, that it barely missed you. But would that bullet, or all the others flying around inside that building, have missed Ron as well, if he'd been at your side?"

"But if Ron had been there, things would have been different!" Kim replied, "If he'd been there, I would have done things differently!" She paused, scowling. "I would have come up with a different...plan, a different way..." She trailed off, obviously uncertain.

"You didn't plan anything, according to your own account." Doctor Cardien corrected her, "You improvised, you took a sudden opportunity. If Ron had been there, there would have been no reason to do anything different. It would have been two street urchins chasing their dog, instead of one, that's all."

Kim was biting her lip, becoming seriously upset. Elizabeth changed her tone to an understanding one. "Kim, you're scared by what might have been, that's all. Ron would follow you anywhere, and that fact might have had fatal consequences that one time. You've saved him from falling, from having things fall on him, you've saved each other from many things. But a bullet? A hail of bullets, that caught you completely by surprise? You couldn't have saved him from that, you didn't even do anything to protect yourself, the shock was so great." She stopped and watched to gauge Kim's reaction.

It took a little while, but Kim finally spoke, even as she sat abruptly down in the other chair, hands clenched into fists. "I froze...it was so sudden, I just...didn't react. I would have been useless if Ron had been there, unable to protect him! Or him me..." She trailed off into an awkward silence, a tear forming in the corner of one eye.

"All it is is a reality check, Kim, one you didn't want to face." Elizabeth said kindly, "And the fact the situation was one not of your own making, one you shouldn't have been in in the first place, doesn't help much. But, it's also one you may never have to face again. After all, that wasn't your kind of mission, was it? Helping save lives, yes, but not facing that kind of violence." When the girl didn't seem to have an immediate response, the doctor continued, "Just think about that, and think it through thoroughly, okay? For now, let's address another question." She had to wait a moment before Kim raised her head and gave the doctor her attention.

"What happened on the bus?"

0000000000

"Drew Theodore P. Lipsky, if you think you're going to be married by a judge..."

"Eileen Askew, if you're thinking of getting married anywhere else but a church..."

Both mothers shut up simultaneously and glared at each other, notwithstanding the fact they seemed to be in agreement about something. Eileen's father just glared at Drakken. Which was the least of his concerns. The fact his mother and Eileen's had been sharing a room peacefully had been bad enough, the fact they might join forces in a united front was making his knees shake. Well, the left one, anyway, and he'd damaged that once trying to leave a lair too hastily when Kim Possible had come calling.

Introductions had been made by Mama Lipsky as her son did his best to quell a queasy stomach by sheer willpower. Having been in many situations that qualified as disastrous, Drakken considered himself quite capable of recognizing the signs of imminent doom. He was at least a little relieved that his mother had introduced Shego as Anastasia Black. The fewer reminders of his past his future in-laws had to confront, the better.

Eileen's parents were quite a contrast, both to each other and to Emma Lipsky. Mrs Askew was at least three inches taller then her spouse, and thin as could be. Bernie had actually managed to whisper a question about her mother's health to Eileen, but had been told that Mrs Askew had never been anything but thin, except when she was pregnant with Eileen.

Mister Askew on the other hand was burly, though age had introduced some sag into the arm muscles prominently on display in his short-sleeved shirt. Still, he looked like he could lift Drakken over his head if he put his mind into it. _"At least high enough to clear the balcony rail!" _Drakken thought apprehensively. He sat on one of the two short sofas, with one arm around Eileen, who was leaning on it gratefully. Eileen's parents occupied the othe sofa, while Emma Lipsky occupied a recliner she'd swung away from facing the TV set. Drew cast a quick glance at Bernie and Shego, his 'moral support'. They were in one corner of the room, Shego leaning back against the wall with arms crossed and a sour look on her face, Bernie standing nervously swinging her arms back and forth. They were exchanging whispers, and Drakken wondered what they were talking about now. _"If they're smart, trying to find a way to leave gracefully...but Shego wouldn't abandon me quite that easily."_

"The bathroom window is big enough for either of us to squeeze through, but it's still three floors down." Bernie muttered to Shego.

"Piece of cake for me, you're on your own, 'Miss Moral Support'!" Was the sour reply.

Bernie arched an eyebrow in response, then nodded. "All right, if you insist..."

Both of Shego's eyebrows shot up as Bernie stepped forward to speak. She barely resisted an urge to grab her friend's arm and haul her back before she attracted attention.

"Folks, we can go through the standard cliched argument, but the bottom line is this: They're both fully grown adults who want to make this legal as soon as possible. And sorting out religious differences and all the other details would take quite a long time, they just want to be husband and wife, now!" All three of the parents involved looked at Bernie as if she'd grown a second head for a moment, before Mister Askew spoke first, which actually drew hostile glares from both his spouse and Mama Lipsky, both of whom had had their mouths open to speak their own minds.

"They're in a hurry because he got her pregnant, and _he_ doesn't want the embarrassment of having her 'show' at the altar, if they delay things too long!" He snapped, pointing an accusing finger at Drakken.

Before Drakken could point out that marrying an obviously pregnant woman would be well down on his list of public embarrassments, Eileen spoke first. "On the subject of the pregnancy, I'm pretty sure the 'fault' if you want to use that term, is on me."

"And did _he_ tell you to say that?!" Her mother asked, pointing at Drakken for the benefit of anyone who doubted her intended target, since her daughter obviously couldn't see the gesture.

Eileen shook her head sadly. "Mother, when is the last time _any _man made either of us say something we didn't want to?" That made her mother frown and nod thoughtfully, while Mister Askew couldn't hide a touch of embarrassment. Drakken meanwhile grew a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Another aspect you may not have considered is the attention a large wedding will draw from the media." Bernie resumed, "Especially with Drew being the focus of so much attention at the moment. Neither of these two want that kind of publicity for their nuptials."

"But he already announced it on TV!" Mrs Askew replied waspishly.

"Not the date, Mother, just his intentions!" Eileen snapped back sharply. Her tone drew a concerned frown from her father.

"From what I understand, this marriage has been coming for a long time," Bernie now said, stretching the truth just a bit, "Eileen for one knew what she wanted a long time ago, and as usual, the male half the equation was a bit slower to recognize things." Eileen's anger faded at that, though she held on to enough of it to keep a straight face. Drakken and Mister Askew exchanged weary and commiserating expressions at the old canard, truthful as it may have been.

Mrs Askew looked somewhat mollified for a moment, then shook her head angrily and addressed Bernie. "Look, you may mean well, but this is really a family matter. I don't know what relationship you or..." she indicated Shego, "Miss, um, Black was it?"

"Oh, just call her Shego, it's easier!" Mama Lipsky told the woman.

And that certainly changed the dynamic of the conversation...

0000000000

"I never had to...touch a dead person before." Kim said quietly, "Not really. The closest I think I came before was a little girl who almost drowned. This was two summers ago. When we pulled her out of the lake, she wasn't breathing, no pulse...but that time I knew what to do, there was something I _could_ do! We resuscitated her, she was fine eventually."

"You and Ron?" Doctor Cardien asked her. She barely avoided making it a statement, it seemed so obvious. Then she was glad she hadn't.

Kim shook her head. "No, actually it was me and Bonnie. We just started on the treatment, neither of us said a word. We did it, but things went sour afterward."

"How so?"

Kim, who had been hugging herself, sat up straighter and nervously wiped her hands on her thighs. "Well, it was this cheerleader thing, girls from schools all over the state were invited after competing at their own schools. The thing is, I hadn't won the competition at Middleton, I had some injuries from a mission that made me quit early, for fear of making them worse. Bonnie won, but then the organizers invited me anyway, saying it was a reward for my 'noble effort.'"

Elizabeth caught the sarcasm that crept into Kim's voice with the last two words. But she didn't need to ask for an explanation, as Kim volunteered it herself.

"The truth was some people were trying an end run on my parents. They wanted me as a spokes-model for a line of active wear for teens. My parents said no, so they set this contest up just to try and hook me personally. So when I failed to make the competition, they had to do something." Kim was scowling as she continued, "After we saved the little girl, a reporter showed up. He barely missed seeing it himself. Anyway, the promoters pretty much shoved him at me, hoping to get some bonus publicity. I insisted on trying to tell the truth, they tried to make it sound like I was being modest. I got a little heated after a while, I guess, then I noticed Bonnie had slipped away."

Kim now looked the doctor in the eye and spoke sincerely. "I honestly tried to find her, to complement her on what she'd done, really! But I didn't see her until the next day, by which time she'd somehow found out the truth about the contest. Before I could say anything, she lit into me about the whole thing being bogus, as if it was my fault!" Kim dropped her gaze, "And I let it get to me, the same way I always did! I ended up walking away." She heaved a sigh, "And I never did tell Bonnie she did a good job, that she'd been as responsible for that little girl's survival as I was. And I know you're going to say she provoked me, but that was then! It's been nearly two years, and I've had plenty of opportunity to tell her she did a great thing."

"So, you recognize the fact that you can hold a grudge?"

Kim bit her lip as she nodded. "I guess that's what it was..is, I mean." she admitted, almost talking to herself. After a moment's silence, she addressed the original question. "Before I even reached the bus, there was a voice in my head...my voice, my doubts, or maybe my fear. It was telling me they were all already dead."

A frown furrowed Doctor Cardien's brow. "A distinct 'voice', not just a feeling?"

Kim hesitated, then replied "A distinct voice, distinct words, ma'am."

"I see..." The doctor pursed her lips briefly. "But the 'voice' didn't stop you?"

Kim seemed surprised by the question. "Of course not!" Then she frowned in puzzlement. "I mean, why would it have? It was just...well, I can't say just something I'd felt before, I never felt pessimistic like that before. If that's what it was, pessimism."

Doctor Cardien wasn't quick to respond. In fact she hesitated long enough for Kim to start fidgeting a bit. Which the doctor noticed, of course, and hid a smile. Knowing the nature of her next question helped suppress the humor. "Okay, continue your story, tell me everything as it happened that day."

Kim moistened her lips nervously, nodded a little jerkily, and began. She told the story first as it had happened, with only one prompt from Dr Cardien to stay focused on the one day when she began including some of her recovered memories from later in her narrative. Only after taking the story up through her hearing Ron's conversation with the college students, and ducking Samantha Leo's interview attempt did she then describe what those recovered memories held.

"Had you ever treated injuries that severe before?" Was the only question Dr Cardien asked to interrupt Kim's narrative. Kim nodded, responding with a brief "Twice, Ma'am." before continuing her story. When she was done, she sat nervously waiting for the doctor's response.

She had to wait several minutes. This time Elizabeth took no notice of her fidgeting, lost in her own train of thought. Finally she came out of it and smiled apologetically. "Kim, I don't think it was just one thing that made you start to zone out in that bus, but several things, all coming together in those unique circumstances."

"Firstly, we'll take your need to please people. Not help, though you have a strong desire to do that as well, but please them. Or more to the point, be 'useful' to them. If everyone in the bus was already dead, you'd have been 'useless' to them. Just as you think you'd have been useless to Ron in that dangerous hypothetical situation. And maybe, _just_ maybe, you're wrong about that. If Ron had been there, it's just possible the need to protect him would have motivated you to a superhuman effort. But, don't take that as meaning I think you should minimize the danger, or that it should affect whatever decision you are making regarding that sort of situation."

"Secondly, it was the fact that you hit a brick wall thrown up by reality. You started out helping people with little things. Well, your first 'rescue' was hardly little, but what kept you going on that line was a combination of your desire to help people, a desire to feel needed, and an inability to say 'no'. And one thing that allowed you to go on was the 'whack' nature of the situations you found yourself in. I know Ron embellished a lot of them, but I've read a few reports GJ filed on things you faced, and some of them in retrospect were just plain silly, even when they were actually deadly." Noting Kim's surprise at the last revelation, she smiled and said "Remember, I used to have a high security clearance, one reason I was recommended to you."

She then continued, "But while dealing with all those over-the-top 'sitches' with relative ease, you let things in your normal life drive you to distraction, to put it mildly. There, I suspect Ron may have let you off easy in his writing?" Kim blushed a little, then nodded. Doctor Cardien nodded in return. "I believe you dealt with your normal teenage life more realistically then your 'mission' life. You developed a separate persona for missions, in a way. Just like other professionals like policemen do, nothing special, a certain 'mindset' you go into to handle missions. But I wonder how realistically you viewed things when you were in that mindset? You didn't let anything faze you, or not for long, you didn't let fear affect you, or at least not fear for yourself. But I think partly you were successful because there was a strong element of 'unreality' in what was going on, a way to not take things too seriously, even as you handled them as if you took them completely seriously."

"But then your drive, combined with your 'I can do anything' mentality, led you into a situation that overwhelmed you. You tried to bury it, if not immediately, then after Will Du's visit, where he implied weakness on your part. Having a gap in your memory caused by that nanotech confused you, and that allowed you to treat the whole thing practically as a figment of your imagination in your own mind. But you couldn't believe that forever. Your visits to the other victim, Miss Hunter, and her child, put a strain on your memory block. As did your avoiding Miss Barr, you felt subconsciously guilty there as well. You tried to avoid facing that reality by throwing yourself into missions, and life, with even more energy then before, to the point of recklessness in several cases."

Kim stared at her hands folded in her lap. "But it didn't work...." she said quietly.

Elizabeth Cardien shook her head. "It couldn't have worked, Kim, unless you underwent a fundamental change in your nature. Which _could _have happened, but fortunately didn't. You're not a person susceptible to delusions, unlike some acquaintances of yours, if I've heard correctly. Your true nature forced you to confront those things, despite how much you wished to deny them. Activity helped that denial, helped you focus on things other then your buried secrets. So I think you were right when you believed that your injury last fall, and the enforced inactivity, made those memories come back much faster."

"And on the bus?" Kim asked apprehensively.

Dr. Cardien rolled her eyes. "On the bus? On the bus, it all came down on you at once. A second dose of reality, to overwhelm any attempts you might have made in your mind to dismiss the first one as a fluke in your life. A fear of uselessness, the inability to help anyone. And having to deal with dead people on such a scale, to actually _touch_ them, while searching for signs of life." She paused, then smiled slightly. "Yet you still tried to 'protect' Ron, by keeping him out of the bus. You began to withdraw, but it took only the slightest sign of life to bring you back. But you went into such an intense version of 'mission mode' that you practically became another person. And when you came out of it, your mind initially couldn't connect the two 'yous', hopefully explaining the memory loss. 'Hopefully' because there's no absolute way of knowing for sure."

Kim was silent for a moment, then smirked. "I can't even have a breakdown for a clear, simple reason!" She commented sourly. "All my problems have to go and gang up on me!" Then her smirk faded, and she looked at Doctor Cardien seriously. "Bu that's because I ignore some of them, letting it all build up, isn't it?"

"In some cases, Kim." Doctor Cardien agreed, "With most problems, you tackle them head on, deal with them. Practical problems, that is, not emotional ones. And when it's something that might hold you back, you seem to deny it, and press on. In some short-term situations, that's known as overcoming obstacles to achieve a goal, and you're very good at that. And some of these other problems you can push aside for a brief period, but trying to ignore them permanently is foolish. They don't just go away, Kim, they stay in your mind, and can affect you at the most inconvenient moments. But on this occasion, they again constituted an obstacle you found a way to circumvent,with the motivation to save those two young men."

"Think I'm going to develop a split personality?" Kim asked half-seriously. "'Mission-me', and 'normal-me'?"

"I _highly_ doubt it, Miss Possible." The doctor replied with a smile. She glanced at her wall clock and frowned. "I'm afraid we're out of time, Kim. But we may have done a lot of good here." She stood up, as did Kim, who smiled ruefully.

"Provided I take the lessons to heart!" She declared. "And since we covered some of this before..." She shrugged, "That may not be a certainty."

Doctor Cardien put an hand on Kim's shoulder as they moved towards the door. "Kim, you can understand some things with words alone, others don't become comprehensible until you experience them _after _discussing them. I think in your head, you understood all these problems, and knew they existed. If any single one had been the cause of your actions on the bus, I think you might not have needed this talk at all. But having them all nearly overwhelm you at once, mixed with the overall weirdness that seems to visit it self upon you, may have just been too much for your mind to sort out. Now, I still want to see you on your regular day, and talk about this again after you've thought about it, okay?"

Kim nodded gratefully. "Of course, Ma'am. And thank you." They stepped through the door into the reception area, and Kim's smile twitched as she spotted a familiar face sitting there. For a moment, suspicion flared in her head, but then subsided. She smiled again as she remembered meeting Shego in the same room, except then it had been Kim seated and nervously awaiting her first session. Now as the seated woman's eyes widened at the sight of Kim, the girl's smile became rueful. "We all need a little help now and then, don't we?"

Summer Gale nodded. "I guess we do." She agreed, then added with a little emphasis, "And our privacy?"

Kim nodded. "OH yes, that too!" Then her own eyes widened as an appalling thought occurred to her. _"If Doctor Cardien ever mentions group therapy, I am SO out of here!"_

0000000000

The Askews' response to Shego's name differed considerably. Mrs Askew looked shocked at the revelation, but then dug a pair of glasses out of her purse and stared with narrowed eyes. Mister Askew also looked shocked for a moment, in fact did quite a double-take, but then looked dubious. "Shego's green!" He stated bluntly. But Shego also detected a weird undercurrent of denial in his tone.

"Oh, she's been fixed!" Mama Lipsky responded dismissively. "I think my Drew did it, but he won't take credit for it!" She added with a disapproving glance at her son.

After a momentary, jaw-dropped, glance at Mama over her choice of words, Shego returned her gaze to Mister Askew, who was still regarding her dubiously...and maybe with a touch of disappointment? She barely noticed Drakken responding with an agreed-upon version of the facts.

"It was a simple matter of not fully having her powers under control, Mother, and I had nothing to do with the solution! I did try to determine the cause of her odd coloration early in our business relationship, but my methodology at the time was quite scatter-shot, and I'm not surprised I discouraged her from accepting any further help from me!"

Mama Lipsky shook her head, then leaned closer to Mrs Askew. "My son, so modest!" She stage-whispered to the woman.

Shego noticed that Eileen's father now almost looked petulant, as if Shego's no longer being green had spoiled some dream of his. Bernie meanwhile was still trying to steer the conversation to safe common grounds. "Have you already set the date, Mayor Lipsky?" She asked Drakken.

He nodded. "Saturday." That startled both mothers. "Judge Grogan has agreed to marry us as soon as he finishes his weekly nine at the golf course. He says that since the weather forecast is for clear blue skies, if he gets struck down by lightning he'll trust I accept the sign that the whole idea is a bad one!" That earned him gentle elbow-poke in the ribs from Eileen. Neither mother seemed to see the humor in the remark. Mister Askew had dropped into a full-blown sulk by this point, and was irritating Shego immensely.

"_If I hadn't worn my good slacks, going out the bathroom window would seem like a good idea right now!" _She thought, and decided to try and ignore the grumpy old man. Instead, she addressed Drakken. "Saturday, Doc? And me in a judge's chambers? Oh, what I do for..friendship."

"You're certainly welcome to attend, Shego." Eileen replied, "Sorry not to have gotten the invitation to you earlier. And Miss Barr, you are certainly welcome as well, not least because you and Shego seem to hang out a lot together lately."

"Oh, but don't believe the Internet gossip," Mama Lipsky interjected, "They're not an 'item'!" She actually made the air quotes for item.

Shego was already starting to speak to Eileen when she registered Emma's words. "Please call me Ana, Eileen, I—I..gossip where on the Internet?" She asked the last incredulously. She ignored the appraising look Mrs Askew was directing at her and Bernie, who was frowning.

"Oh, here, there, I'm really not sure!" Emma Lipsky replied, while trying in turn to ignore her son's suspicious look. "There were a couple of photos of you on a beach somewhere, playing volleyball, one or two of you two.."

Bernie interrupted her. "Did I have two flesh-and-blood feet in those photos?"

Emma nodded, smiling widely. "Yes, of course you did, you were jumping...oh!" For the first time since Shego had known her, Emma Lipsky blushed, and blushed hard. "Oh...oh, dear, they had to be fakes, didn't they? I'm so sorry, I really should have thought..."

"It's all right, Mother." Drakken said kindly. Not least because he knew that his mother would probably keep her mouth shut for some time due to embarrassment. Some things she could ignore or dismiss, some things she couldn't. But now Eileen's mother put her two cents in.

"But, Saturday! Eileen, your cousin Brett won't be able to attend, or my sister Louise, she'll be devastated!" Shego noticed that as she spoke the last three words, Mrs Askew's face showed a touch of relief rather then regret. Eileen verified her suspicions a moment later.

"And which of us really cares if Aunt Louise is 'devastated'? Since it will last about three minutes, ten tops, if she has an audience!" Her mother tried to appear disapproving, and failed miserably, "And Cousin Brett has a track record at weddings, remember! We may not have a bar around, but I'm sure he'll find some way to disrupt things. Worse, he'll bring his latest conquest, and considering the type of woman he favors..."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Her mother interrupted, "But still, this is quite short notice!" Then her eyes narrowed suspiciously, "Besides, when were you going to let us know? If we hadn't dropped in unexpectedly, would we even _have _known? If we hadn't seen that TV news broadcast..."

"Unexpectedly?" Eileen cut her off with a touch of sarcasm, "Mother, your little visits this time of year are never unexpected! Dad's old unit holds their reunion, you attend, you drop in on me on the way home! Every single year! How did the reunion go by the way, Dad?"

That caused him to stop looking at Shego. He dropped his gaze and became unfocussed. "Fewer and fewer, every year." Was all he said.

"I'm sorry, Dad." Eileen said sincerely, "I know its hard." She would've reached out to him, but Drakken was in between them at the moment. Instead she addressed her mother again. "It's Saturday, you will be there won't you?" Though she may have tried to hide it, their was a small plea in the words.

Mrs Askew seemed surprised that the issue had been in doubt. "Of course we will, dear! We'll get a hotel room for the next few days, visit some places of interest...your father actually has wanted to tour the Paisley Pickle Works, and I believe there was something in the paper about a battle being fought here, and that actor, Timothy North, or one of his ancestors being involved?" She failed to notice several jaws tighten, mainly to suppress grins or groans. "It's just that...I'm being silly, it's a lucky mother that can be sure these days that her daughter will be married in a church..."

Eileen detected a sense of expectancy in the way her mother trailed off, and sensed a trap. Which she deftly avoided. "Well, that's settled, then!" She turned to Drew, "Will you help me in the kitchen a moment?"

"Of course!" He replied, and the two rose and headed over to the apartment's little kitchenette/breakfast nook.

Mrs Askew now gave her husband a slap on the shoulder. "Snap out of it, Dear!" She said quietly. Then turned to Shego and said apologetically "I'm sorry, this is almost as bad as last year when he found out that female wrestler was a fake!"

While Shego blinked in astonishment, Bernie grinned and responded. "He should know by now that most of that wrestling is fake, Ma'am."

Mrs Askew looked insulted. "Of course he does, young lady! It wasn't the _wrestling_ that was fake, it was the _wrestler_! Not female, you see."

Bernie had to take a moment to crank her jaw back up. Then she pointed towards the bathroom. "I need to..um, I'll be right back."

"You'd better be!" Shego muttered to her as she passed. Mister Askew was back to sulking again, and Shego found herself shifting uneasily in her chair.

Mrs Askew was looking at her daughter and Drakken, who had their heads together as they worked to prepare tea and coffee. "You know.." She said thoughtfully, "He doesn't seem at all like a mad scientist."

"It's one of his better days." Shego and Mama Lipsky said in unison, then looked at each other, blushing. In the kitchen, Eileen suddenly leaned more on Drakken, shaking with mirth. And Shego swore she heard someone say "Jinx!" faintly, but might have been imagining it. _"Maybe I should avoid lightning rods and golf clubs this Saturday!" _

* * *

Promised someone I'd post today, and I'm going to! This has taken far longer to write then it should have, got to get back in the groove.

Next chapter should have the wedding. Don't get your hopes up that it'll be silly...yet. Then there's a bit of unresolved business in Kim's life to deal with, and I don't just mean chaperoning the Tweebs, though there's that, too. As long as they're not foolish enough to ask Ron how to impress girls, that shouldn't be too bad.

For now, Please Read and leave a review.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kim Possible, any of the other characters from that show, or those from any other media I may reference in my stories.

As usual, Thanks to my reviewers for previous chapters, especially MIchael Howard, CajunBear73, Screaming Phoenix, Reader101w, and Gomro Morskopp for the last chapter.

* * *

"President Lipsky, Sir, what are you going to do now that you've resolved the budget crisis in such an interesting manner?"

Drakken smiled as he looked out at the assembled members of the press, gathered on the lawn of the White House for the press conference. "Oh, convincing all the foreign companies that American industry had out-sourced their work to to out-source their own work back to American companies was no bi..err, nothing particularly special. And I swear, no Neural-Compulsion Chips were used to accomplish this!" His audience chuckled appreciatively. "I'm still trying to get them manufactured in flesh-tone, so many congressmen don't have enough hair to hide them, otherwise!"

That got a bigger laugh. Because it was a joke, of course. Though you couldn't tell by the Secret Service Agents standing around, they never seemed to have a sense of humor. Drakken looked them over, wondering if they still suspected...then he frowned as he saw Shego reclining on a lounge chair inspecting her nails. Her old catsuit, pale green skin. _"Ah, too bad, it's just a dream!"_

"Not exactly, Mister President!" Drakken turned to find Ron Stoppable, wearing a suit and tie, standing at his elbow. "Actually, this is a nightmare, but the bad parts missed their cue. Or, actually, you haven't said it yet!"

"Oh?" Drakken was puzzled. "What is the cue? And do I want to say it?"

Ron rolled his eyes. "Of course you do! Otherwise, the bad things never happen, and you don't wake up screaming on your wedding day! I mean, it's a special day, you're supposed to have jitters, so why not start it off with a big scream, and let it all mellow out as you go along?"

Drakken blinked. _"Why is my subconscious using Ronald for this? And since I'm already conscious that this is a dre..err, nightmare...allegedly, why haven't I woken up?"_

Ron rolled his eyes again. "Dude, because this is a nightmare about having a nightmare, get it?" When Drakken still looked puzzled, he went on "Okay let me explain..."

"Wait!" Drakken cut him off, "Is this going to end up as another version of 'Trap Trap'?" When Ron shrugged, he shook his head. "I'll pass, just give me the cue." Ron whispered in his ear. Drakken then turned back to the press, who promptly stopped texting, applying make-up, scratching themselves and in one case picking their nose. "As to my future plans..." And all hell broke loose.

A massive sonic boom split the sky, and beams of bright green light began raining down on Washington, striking somewhere out of sight, but raising huge fireballs and pillars of smoke. Another beam, this one pink in color, swept over the Secret Service detail and froze them like statues. Or maybe it did, Drakken couldn't really tell the difference.

As the press scattered, Shego raised an umbrella, and Ron opened a hatch hidden in the grass and dropped into it, a giant form descended in front of Drakken. Squinting up at it, he saw it to be a giant robot. It looked truly impressive, and bristled with weaponry. On the front was a logo: **'Drak! The Next Generation!' **_"Oh, Snap! I know where this is going...I think!"_

A hatch on the front popped open, and someone leaped out, dropping effortlessly to the ground before Drakken. It was wearing a black-and-blue suit of armor awfully reminiscent of another suit..._"Well, Stark can't sue me for copyright infringement in my nightmares, can he?" _Then the helmet opened up to reveal a startling handsome..blue..face, with a big lopsided grin on it. "Hi, Pop!"

Drakken, in the dream, face-palmed. "What do you think you're doing?" He asked his 'son' mildly.

"Not doing, Pop, done! Took over the world, twenty-two minutes flat!" His son cheerfully announced, "All except for Scotland and North Carolina, that is!"

Drakken regarded him curiously. "Why not those places?"

"Come on, Pop! Not going near Scotland until Connery's dead. As to North Carolina...let's just say there's someone there I don't want mad at me either! 'Pen mightier than the sword' kind of thing, you know?"

"Not really." Drakken replied dryly. He looked around. "So, where's the nightmare bits?"

Drakken Junior clapped his hands together and rubbed them briskly. "Ah! That'd be the dungeon I'm going to put you in, with DNAmy, Grandma Lipsky, and the 'Oh Boyz'. All in the same ten-by-ten foot cell!"

Drakken looked at him aghast. "Come now, even at my most juvenile, I was never _that_ sadistic!"

"Then maybe you shouldn't have left me at the altar, and instead helped to raise him." Drakken looked up in surprise to see Eileen leaning out of the hatch in the robot, and looking right at him. "Then maybe he'd have turned out better."

"Fixed Mom's eyes." Drakken Jr. announced smugly, "Something you couldn't do!"

"L-left you at t—the altar?" Drakken stammered, "I'd never...I mean it, _Never _leave you! I swear it!"

"But you did, Drew, you did..." Eileen's voice started to echo, and everything began to fade...and Drakken woke up.

A heartfelt "Feh!" Substituted for the scream. Sitting up, he gazed around the room, dimly lit by his nightlight(Something he'd only started using after tripping over an unfinished invention in the dark, with alarming results!). Everything was packed away already save the bedding, since Drakken had been given notice by Jack Hench to vacate the lair by Monday, though he was still required to run the 'Open Lair' showing on Tuesday. Though Shego, as a wedding gift, had volunteered to stand in for him.

Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, Drakken dourly regarded the three sets of slippers lined up waiting for his feet. One his mother had bought him. They looked normal, but had no insulation to keep his feet warm when walking on the cold lair floor. Eileen had bought him another pair, more practical in that respect. But he instead chose to shove his toes into the battered pair of 'Arabian Night' style slippers with curled up toes, for his last morning in the lair, his home for many years. Well, when he didn't rent a smaller lair to work on things too dangerous for his main lair. _"And thanks to Kim Possible, I ended up paying more than the rent on many of those places!" _He sighed. _"I think I could almost make the Fortune 500 if not for a few of those!"_

He shuffled out the door, then picked himself up and strode purposefully down the corridors. It did occur to him that since the henchmen had already moved out, no one would see or care, but there was still the matter of pride in oneself.

Shego's mammoth coffee maker had been packed up, so she was busy brewing herself some coffee on the hot plate that had come with the lair. Drakken wondered when had been the last time he'd used that. And how it had survived this long. "Must still be under warranty." He muttered aloud.

"What was that, Doctor D?" Shego asked as she poured herself a generous portion into one of her favorite mugs.

"Oh, nothing, Shego, just talking to myself." He answered as he moved past her and began preparing his own preferred breakfast drink. Shego nodded as she walked over to her usual seat in front of his desk/work table. It was looking a little forlorn, with Drakken's desktop computer gone, and the drawers ajar, all empty. She felt a slight twinge of sadness, but pushed it from her thoughts.

She sat patiently until Drakken finished preparing his Coco Moo and took his usual seat. And then looked befuddled momentarily, as if it had just dawned on him that there was nothing to do at his desk anymore. Then he sighed and took a sip from his mug.

Shego smirked after a moment, and commented, "This is your last chance, Doctor D." Drakken raised a querulous eyebrow even as he blew on his Coco-Moo to cool it.

"Hmm?"

Shego smirked. "Throw away all this wedding nonsense, the politics, the whole shebang! Get right back to what you do best, building a Doomsday Machine, threatening to take over the world!"

Drakken nodded slowly, looking around at all the piled up packing cases and crates. "We'd have to unpack all the parts again." He noted reasonably.

Shego glanced around as well. She then heaved a resigned sigh, "Curses, foiled again!"

Drakken chuckled briefly. After another minute's silence, Shego spoke up again. "I was just thinking 'what a pair of villains we are', and I remembered Bernie asking me a question the other day.." Drakken regarded her curiously, interest piqued, "Why was Kim allowed to handle us, and the others. Weren't we taken seriously? I mean, why a teenage girl and her then extremely clumsy boyfriend?"

"Because we're a bit more civilized than some of the others in the world." Drakken answered without hesitation. Seeing Shego's confusion, he grinned. "We're not terrorists, none of us ever thought of getting revenge by going after Kimberly's or Ronald's families, for instance. We kept it personal. When we did involve the other members of her family, it was to further our plots, not to hurt her or coerce her into anything."

Shego nodded thoughtfully. "I suppose that makes sense. Her family would have been pretty vulnerable. Theoretically, anyway. Never know what those boys might have up their sleeves. And her Dad at work? Stoppable has made fun of the security out at the Middleton Space Center, but that's a place I'd rather not try breaking into again. The measures are mundane, but they're so thick!"

"Yet they have been violated seriously before." Drakken replied, "Almost two years ago now, three men substituted themselves for a trio of visiting Indian rocket scientists to gain entry, hoping to crash a multi-stage rocket being tested there into an American city."

Shego looked shocked briefly. "Carrying what? And how do you know?"

"Carrying nothing, Shego." He replied, "Just the rocket itself with most of it's fuel still aboard would have caused great devastation." He sipped his drink, then continued, "As to how I know? I was the one who anonymously tipped off MSC security to them." He sat back as if that explained everything.

Shego stared at him through narrowed eyes for a moment, then relented and asked, "And you knew about it how?"

"Oh, because two of their comrades came here to try and enlist my help, thinking they might find some common cause with me, the mad scientist!" Drakken responded acidly. "I made it quite clear my problems with the US government in no way inclined me to take part in a terrorist act! They didn't take it well!"

Shego looked around the lair. "Oh? What happened to them?"

Drakken made a dismissive gesture. "Oh, I sent their remains to Global Justice in a bulk-mailer envelope. Also anonymously, of course. I tried to keep their respective remains properly separated, but it was difficult. Still, they managed to make DNA matches to two rather dangerous men."

Shego regarded him silently for a moment, face thoughtful. Then she hesitantly said "Doc, I know you've...taken life before. I mean, I know about the WWEE assassin last November, but I didn't know..."

"He was the fourth." Drakken replied bluntly, "The first...well, I'd really rather keep that to myself, for your sake."

"MY sake?" Shego replied querulously. Then a guarded look appeared on her face. "Was it a 'good' guy?" She asked.

Drakken rubbed his chin as he replied. "Well, let's say that some people who claim to be on the side of 'good' considered him a 'necessary evil'. And I'd really rather they didn't find out I deprived them of their 'necessity', if at all possible."

"But he came after you, it was self-defense, right?" Then another thought struck her, and she added before Drakken could reply, "The two terrorists? You can claim self-defense with them, if it came to that?"

Exasperated at the second question forestalling his reply, Drakken pursed his lips briefly before he did answer. "Yes, to the second question, they didn't respond well to my refusal, especially after revealing so much of their own plans to me. But for the second..." He rose and paced back towards the kitchen, before turning abruptly back. "No, he wasn't trying to kill _me_, I spotted him in the act of trying to kill someone else, and stopped him. I then found his instructions, and so became aware of his employers. I still have those, secreted elsewhere, since they may one day come in handy." He paused, thinking, then shook his head. "I'm sorry, Shego, the rest I insist on keeping to myself!"

Shego was clearly unhappy with that response, but after a moment glaring at Drakken, she lowered her gaze, shifting uneasily. "In a sense, I killed a man, too. I led him into a trap, knowing he was not going to be taken alive."

"Which in a sense, constituted self-defense." Drakken stated. "As you knew he intended one day to kill you if he could."

Shego began to reply, then went silent. After a moment, she looked suspiciously at Drakken. "Why did this subject even come up?"

Now it was Drakken's turn to look ill at ease. He was silent a moment, then he replied hesitantly. "I've done some things in my life...should I even try to be a father? Can I even be a good influence, Shego?" He looked at her, as uncertain as she'd ever seen him.

She wasn't sure what to say. Platitudes wouldn't work, she had to be sincere, which was something that was still hard to feel sometimes for her. But after a minute's thought, she had an answer. "Doctor D, I don't know! But, as long as I've known you, whenever you didn't let your ego or a redheaded teenage heroine get involved, you've done a good job at practically everything you've attempted!" She paused, "Okay, maybe not _quite _everything, but the ones you failed at, I think you lost interest in too quickly, things that struck your fancy only briefly. And being a father isn't going to be one of _those _things, is it? Just use your head, and trust Eileen to straighten you out if you go astray, and things should be fine."

Drakken didn't seem terribly reassured. "But, what if my past catches up to me? What will my child think of my past?"

"Or children?" Shego put in lightly, causing Drakken's eyes to widen slightly, then she became serious again. "Doc—Drew, we both have pasts that can come back to haunt us, big time! We just have to live with the consequences of what we've done before, now and for the rest of our lives. Love the kid, or kids, and they may forgive you all your trespasses." She paused, a small scowl forming on her face. "Well, when they're in their teens..." Then she shook her head. "Nothing you need to worry about now, just do your best!" She paused again, then smiled a lopsided grin. "How's that for a pep talk, scale of one to ten?"

Drakken regarded her seriously for a moment, then grinned slightly. "Heard better, but didn't listen to them. This one, I will!" He looked at his contemplatively for a moment, then shrugged and changed the subject. "How do I look, by the way? Spending all day outdoors yesterday get rid of all the blue?" He turned his head from side to side, giving Shego a good look.

She studied his face carefully, then nodded. "You look good, Doc! All natural, I guess you could say." She checked her watch. "Three hours to get yourself all spruced up, better get to it!"

"Think it'll take that long?" Drakken replied dryly. He ran his hand through his hair. "Well, at least this is all mine, somehow wearing a hairpiece to my own wedding would have seemed..I don't know, tawdry?"

Shego cocked one eyebrow at him, then smiled. "You're lucky it still grows back, after all the times you scorched it off! But being in politics has kept you from any opportunities to do _that, _lately!"

"While substituting the urge to pull it out in handfuls on occasion!" Drakken declared sourly. "On another subject, Thank You for handling the 'open lair' thing Tuesday."

"Oh, that's no problem, Doc, you and Eileen need a little honeymoon time, after all." Then she looked at him slyly, "Just where are you two going, anyway?"

"Well, your first clue is, 'somewhere I'm not wanted by the authorities'." He replied as he rose and took his mug to the kitchen to wash it out. "And there won't be a second clue, it's remaining a secret! Three days is hardly a true honeymoon, and I want no chance at all of any distractions!"

"Fine! Be that way!" Shego mock-pouted, "But if you miss a great opportunity, like an invitation to the White House, don't...what did I say?"

0000000000

"Did you know I was a needy person, Ron?" Kim asked her BFBF. She was currently perched on a stainless steel table in the kitchens of Pittman's Catering, swinging her feet idly as she watched Ron work on a sheet pan of canapes. He was currently using a pastry bag to put a little rosette of cream cheese on small thin rounds of stale white bread, and Kim was impressed with the precision he was displaying. They were currently alone in the kitchen, as Ollie Pittman, the owner, was supervising the loading of the food for another banquet into one of his delivery trucks.

Ron had been working the occasional weekend job for Ollie for the last two years. Today's project was a wedding reception for six hundred people, but if Ron was feeling any pressure, it didn't show on his face.

Near Ron was a large bowl containing peeled, deveined, and tailless shrimp. These were going on the rounds next, each to be topped by either a sprinkling of chives or a dollop of Caribbean style salsa, both of which were in smaller bowls of their own next to the shrimp. There were three completed pans already, each holding sixty canapes.

"Hmm?" Ron responded, not taking his eyes from his work. "Well, they say everyone needs something. Like me, I always need things, just most of the time I need the fact pointed out to me by other people, especially my bon-diggity BFGF!"

"But not all needs are healthy, Ron, and I'm wondering if mine is." Kim replied, picking up and reading an instruction sheet for the preparation of _bruschetta_ as she talked. "Since what I want is pretty unreasonable!"

"Unreasonable?" Ron echoed. He straightened up and rolled his head to try and take some tension out of his neck muscles. Kim was off her table in a flash, fingers kneading the muscles in question. "Ohhhhh...that feels sooooo _good!_" Ron moaned, causing Kim to smile brightly.

"One of the many ways I intend to entrap you in my web, Potential Boy, never to escape!" She whispered in his ear. After a moment, Ron reluctantly pulled away and bent again to his work, and Kim resumed her seat on the table, scooping up the paper she'd been reading as she did. "If I'm right, it's something I couldn't have had, at least not for a long time."

"How long?" Ron asked. His attention seemed to be fully on his work, but Kim knew he was registering everything she said. He always had, it just had once taken his some time to process it and respond. Six hours was the record, and resulted in a midnight phone call her parents had _not_ appreciated! Nowadays, he generally processed them in 'real time' instead of 'Ron time'.

"Since I really started doing missions in earnest." Kim replied. "Because you see, what I think I wanted was normalcy. Despite doing all the things I did, I wanted people to treat me as just an average teenage girl. I mean, this sounds obvious in a way, but it isn't as obvious as you would think. I was expecting people to act in an unreasonable way, in a way, do you follow me?"

"You wanted people to ignore all the things you do, and just treat you like an average girl, got it!" Ron replied as he finished the last florette. He then straightened up again, arching his back and rotating his shoulders.

"No, not ignore!" Kim bit her lip, "Or maybe that is what I wanted, after things got so big! Maybe I was..am afraid that I'm being changed by the things I see and do...except that's true of everyone, isn't it?."

"But everyone doesn't save the world, before they even graduate High School." Was Ron's reply as he began to place the shrimp on the canapes. "And maybe you tried so hard to keep from being egotistic about it, that you needed others to treat you 'normally' to keep from getting full of yourself."

"Full of myself?" Kim asked archly, placing her hand on her chest, "Are you saying _I _have an ego?"

Ron favored her with a goofy grin. "Yep!"

"Shucks!" Kim responded in mock disbelief, "I could have sworn I traded that in for extra compassion, years ago!" Then she became serious again. "But the truth is, I did'nt want people to treat me as...a role model, I didn't want them reinventing Kim Possible in their own minds, because I didn't want to have to live up to their expectations. I wanted to do...whatever I chose to without worrying that I'd disappoint people!" She heaved a sigh, "This isn't any great revelation, I've talked this over with Doctor Cardien, but...truthfully, little things began to bother me. Things that seemed to indicate I was being excluded from 'normal' life. The girls on the cheer squad not inviting me out with them as often as they used to, for instance."

She dropped off the table and began to wander around the kitchen. "But there are reasons for that that aren't 'Kimcentric'. They're getting serious about dating, more than they used to be, anyway. So they want more time with just their BF's, that I can certainly understand!" That caused Ron to look up and exchange smiles with her. "But still..." she continued wistfully, "I can see that they're treating me more and more as someone 'different' from them. And I don't want to be different, but at the same time I want to keep doing things that...oh, I _do_ sound like a basket case!" she finished exasperatedly.

Ron stood up, a thoughtful look on his face. "No...you sound like a teenage girl, I think, an average, everyday teenage girl!" He declared, thrusting his finger into the air for emphasis.

Kim looked at him in mild disbelief for a moment, then rolled her eyes, but favored him with a fond smile. "_So_ not! But thanks, anyway." She walked over and gave him a peck on the cheek, then stepped back and shook her head. "The truth is, I think, that I need normal things to balance out the weird stuff, the _big_ stuff...and lately, nothing has been normal, even the little things have become 'weird' in some way."

Ron wiped his hands off on a towel, then took hers. "Kim, that's probably not going to stop as long as you do the missions, help people, and generally be you, the 'girl who can do anything'. And you're not going to give that up, are you?"

She searched his face for some sign of his feelings on the subject for a moment, then cast her eyes down and embraced him. "I want a family, Ron, and when I have kids, they'll be the number one priority to me, I won't want anything to distract me from them, or separate me from them! I can't have both, so I know which one I'll have to give up, the only question is when!"

"Well, if it was up to your father.." Ron began, then 'oofed' as Kim punched him lightly in the ribs, "Okay, okay, let's be honest? The Ronman is all ready to be a daddy, or so he thinks! But I've been wrong before so...as soon as we're done with college? Provided no new supervillains show up, our old gang seems to be quieting down lately."

Kim chewed her lip briefly, then shook her head. "No, no more new villains, from now on, just rescue work, helping people. No more having our lives under a microscope so we can keep a Security clearance, or be tabloid fodder! If people want to forget Kim Possible..." She deflated a little, "And they will, eventually, then so be it! I'm going to be as good a mother as Mom is, and I don't see how that's possible while 'saving the world'! Someone else will just have to do it from that point on!"

"But you'll miss it." Ron replied, as statement of fact, not a question.

Kim smiled wistfully. "Some of it, yes! Other things, not so much! But family comes first, and that's all there is to it!" She leaned in and gave Ron a somewhat more substantial kiss, definitely a nine, minimum. She then pulled back and smiled fondly at his dazed expression. "And now, you need to get back to your canapes, Potential Boy!"

Ron didn't seem to be all present. "Cana...cana..can I have another, please?"

Kim cast her eyes upwards, then leaned in to touch foreheads with him. "All you want, anytime you want...when you haven't eaten anything with sauerkraut on it!" They both began to shake with suppressed laughter, and she repeated her previous performance, before they broke apart again. "Back to work, buster! I've got to go meet Mon, we're hitting the mall today."

"Not going to keep an eye on Drakken's wedding, in case something weird happens?" Ron inquired. "After all, the Doctors P will be there."

Kim shook her head. "So will Shego. Anything that wants to mess up the wedding will have to go through her! Oh, and it's nice of your Dad to keep an eye on the Tweebs, _and_ administer the first part of their punishment!"

Ron grinned widely. "No Big, KP! Besides, you wouldn't believe how much stuff has piled up in the garage since the last time I cleaned it, and better them then me, right?"

0000000000

"I just called Eileen's" Shego announced as she rejoined Doctor Drakken in the lair's main chamber, both now fully dressed. "Anne Possible is there, as is your mother and hers. Things were getting a little tense until Bernie showed up with a bag of fresh bagels."

Drakken grimaced. "Well, I'm glad there are two medical professionals there, at any rate!" Then a puzzled expression followed. "Bagels?"

"More effort to chew, less time to talk." Shego explained, and Drakken responded with an understanding nod. "Now, what is it you wanted to show me, Doctor D?" She asked casually.

"Oh, that! It's this way, in one of the big hangar bays." Drakken replied, and led the way into one of the side passages.

"Thought the only thing you had in them was your giant robot." Shego responded curiously.

"Oh, that's still there." Drakken replied, then after a moment, "Did you know I finished it?"

Shego arched an eyebrow eloquently. "Really? I thought you abandoned it?"

"Well, I had some idle moments, so I tinkered with it occasionally. Should probably pull out the AI, though, it's still based on my personality from the year 1 AKP. Or the 'Days of Whines and Poses', as I believe Stoppable has referred to them!"

"AKP?" Shego echoed with a grin, "You been hanging around Kimmie's friend Monique much?"

"Hardly!" Drakken replied. "This is the one." He added, indicating one large steel door. They had just passed the one leading to where the robot was parked. He ignored the obvious keypad next to the door, moving to the wall on the opposite side of the passageway. He noticed Shego backing up as he exposed another keypad hidden behind a false section of the wall. "Please, Shego, this time I'm sure I have the right one!" He said in exasperation. Nevertheless he tensed as if to run himself while punching a code into the pad. And his relief was obvious when the door opened quietly behind him.

Shego peered cautiously into the chamber before entering, and her eyes widened. There was a sleek-looking aircraft of some kind parked in the middle of the floor. It's control surfaces were a little on the stubby side, but overall it looked quite fast. She walked in and began to circle it, noting it's features. "V/STOL?" She asked Drakken, who nodded, looking pleased. "Cabin seats four..." She noted. Then she walked around to the back, and frowned. The apertures for the engines were not very big, but the engines themselves seemed quite bulky. Coming up beside her, Drakken guessed what she was thinking.

"There are actually four engines in there. Two for flight, and two to make jumps with." He explained.

"Jumps?" Shego responded uncertainly, "What kind of jumps?"

"Well, Shego, from right here, you could 'jump' anywhere in the world, literally." He replied nonchalantly.

"Uh, huh..." She responded guardedly. "So what's the catch?"

Drakken frowned. "No catch, Shego, it's just not a ride for people who don't enjoy...roller coasters, for instance!" As she blinked in puzzlement, Drakken continued "You see, the farther you jump, the higher in the atmosphere you'll be when you materialize at the other end. And since these engines aren't very efficient at high altitude, you may have to glide down quite a distance in order to reach atmosphere dense enough for them to function. Sort of like the space shuttle coming down, but not from so high an altitude!"

Shego considered this, then asked warily. "So, if I jumped to the far side of the Earth, how high would I end up?"

"Why would you want to do that?" Drakken replied, "If you want to _end up _on the exact opposite side of the world, you'd only have to jump about four-fifths of the way, then spend the rest descending to a safe altitude! In that case, you'd only be...roughly 225,000 feet up, give or take five thousand!"

Shego stood jaw agape for a moment, then clamped her mouth shut self-consciously. "225,000? And then I come down to what altitude like a runaway roller-coaster?"

"Oh, once you hit 40,000 you should be fine," Drakken replied, "And before that you will hardly be a 'runaway', you'll have quite a bit of control, actually. You'll just be committed to descending, that's all."

"'Committed' might be an appropriate term, here!" Shego responded a bit shakily. "Have you tested it? Is it safe?"

"Of course I have! I've flown it remotely five times, without a single hitch." Drakken responded boastfully. Then his face sobered. "Which made me stop testing it, because it almost felt like I was violating the natural order of things."

"Don't blame you, Doc." Shego replied sympathetically, "That does seem to have been pressing your luck quite a bit." She regarded the aircraft again, noting it's bright silvery finish. "Not exactly subtle, is it?"

Drakken took a moment to realize what she was referring to. "Oh, that! You can adjust the reflectivity of the surface, all the way down to where it barely reflects light at all."

Shego looked at him wonderingly. "You're talking stealth here?" Drakken nodded, a pleased expression on his face. Now Shego looked puzzled again. "Okay, suppose I fly it? What exactly would I use it for? I mean, having a shortcut to Greece wouldn't be bad, but this seems a bit extravagant for personal use."

Now Drakken began to fidget, a sure sign he was unsure what reception his next words would get. "Well, it's like this, I recently was talking to Eileen about respectability...she mentioned that I had gotten some credit for helping Kim Possible out with that bus rescue..." He trailed off, waiting for Shego to connect the dots.

Which she did, if not immediately. "Wait, a minute..you want _Kimmie_ to use..except she can't fly..." Her eyes bulged "You want _me_ to fly Kim Possible around? Doc, are you _nuts?!"_

"_Only for rescue missions!" _Drakken bellowed back, then calmed himself. "Just life-saving, that sort of things, no supervillain stuff...unless you think it's in _our_ best interests to help her with any such matters." He added the last with some emphasis.

Eyes narrowed, Shego nodded slowly. "For instance, if WWEE hasn't forgiven and forgotten what you did to them? Or EWWE, for that matter?" She still seemed dubious.

Drakken looked at his watch. "I'm just asking you to consider it, Shego. At least move it out of here before the Open Lair, please? Now, I have to go, can't be late for my own fune—wedding!" Hes hook his head vigorously. "There's a slip I can't afford to consider! Just think about it, Shego, please? But right now, you need to run a few errands of your own, hmm?"

Shego nodded, but didn't take her eyes off the ship. "Yeah, I do...okay, Doc, I'll _think_ about it, but absolutely no promises!"

"I understand, Shego, that's all I ask." Drakken assured her. "Now let's get going, we don't want to keep the judge waiting!" He turned and took two steps away before he stopped, then slowly looked back to see Shego regarding him with an amused look. He cleared his throat. "Well, never thought we'd be saying those words, did you?"

She shook her head, chuckling. "Never in a million years, Doctor D, never in a million..."

* * *

Hmm, I should not have made any promises. Well, wedding _next_ chapter, then we'll see what happens.

For now, Please Read and Review.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kim Possible, any of the other characters from that show, or those from any other media I may reference in my stories.

I'd like to thank Reader101w, Michael Howard, and CajunBear73 for their reviews of the last chapter, and all those who have reviewed or faved this story.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

By the time he actually reached the judge's chambers, Drew Lipsky was feeling like a warped version of Ebeneezer Scrooge. Except his reminders of past, present, and truly stretching the point, his possible future were embodied by the living, not the dead.

First he dropped by the Middleton Country Club to have a word with his chiropractor, wanting to speak with him before Monday, while not disrupting the man's plans for his weekend. Upon arrival, he was greeted with thinly veiled scowls from a couple of the members, and the Manager. This was due to some unfortunate damage done to the golf course during one of his past schemes. Totally unintentional, he had simply not yet gotten the programming in his Destructo-Bots quite perfected. In his defense, the club's golf carts had born a superficial resemblance to the shape of Dementor's cybertronic mini-tanks. _Very_ superficial, but there it was.

He found Doctor Racht waiting for the rest of his foursome in the bar. The compact, balding doctor greeted him with a friendly enough smile. Drakken hoped it didn't harm the doctor's membership, even as he shook hands, and refused a cocktail. Alcohol on his breath was certainly one thing he didn't want Eileen to detect at their wedding ceremony.

"Well, then, right to business!" Racht exclaimed briskly, then leaned closer and spoke in a more confidential voice. "Your back is fine, or as good as can be expected." He paused briefly, "For the time being, that is. I'm afraid you're going to have problems as you get older, you'll probably need a cane at least by your late sixties, and a walker is almost a certainty one day."

Drakken's lips thinned as he nodded slowly. "Terrific, as my child grows up, I'll be coming down to meet them halfway!" He muttered.

Racht took a sip from his mint julep. "I've wanted to ask you, Drew, after you took your little dive into Lake Michigan, didn't a doctor recommend you take it easy for some time?"

Drakken hesitated, then reluctantly nodded. "Of course." He replied.

"And did you?" Racht asked knowingly. When Drakken shrugged halfheartedly, he added mock seriously. "What, did you have an evil scheme you needed to do?"

Drakken looked offended. "As a matter of fact, I had to attend my Mother's birthday party! And back then, I still believed she was ignorant of my vocation!" He declared righteously, then his shoulders slumped a bit. "And, a small evil scheme.." he admitted. Then he added dejectedly, "I used to be quite the athlete, you know."

Racht's short bark of laughter startled him, and made him draw back warily. The doctor then smiled widely. "Of course I know that! I ran track for Upperton U., back when you vaulted for M.I.S.T.!"

Drakken looked at him in astonishment for a moment, then his eyes narrowed briefly in concentration, before popping wide. "Racht! You beat Chen in the hundred-yard dash!"

"Aha!" Racht clapped his hands together, "You're talking _Junior_ year, he smoked me the following year!" He paused reflectively, "And that's another thing I should blame you for, blowing my shot with a certain redhead. I don't, of course, Lainie and I have been happy from day one, practically! Still, if Jim Possible hadn't come along to cheer for you..."

Now Drakken was blinking rapidly as he tried to process what he was hearing. "Um, it was a deal...me and Chen went to basketball games to cheer on James and Ramesh, they came to track...James and Anne? But they met at a nightclub...which would have been a week or so after that particular meet, if memory serves..." He trailed off, eyes narrowing shrewdly.

"Which was of course, purely coincidental." Racht remarked slyly, then his expression grew serious. "Truthfully, Lainie says it's possible James doesn't remember his and Anne's first meeting. Personally, I find _that_ hard to believe, but you know him better then I do...ah, here come the guys, I have to go, Drew. Just try to take care of yourself, get the prescribed exercise, and hope for the best. You're going to pay a price for your 'misspent' youth, but it doesn't have to be a bad one." He clapped Drakken on the shoulder and headed towards his golf buddies.

Drakken sat on the bar stool, eyes far away for a moment. Then he nodded. "Yes, I certainly do know him, and this sounds like a story to hear!" He checked his watch and grimaced. "Got to get moving!" He looked around. "Don't want the judge to spot me and think I'm here checking up on him!"

000000000

The second encounter was a passing one, and may have represented either his problems in the present as Mayor of Middleton, or his future? About to lean on his horn when the car in front of him failed to respond to a green light, Drakken instead noticed that the driver was staring out his window with a look of shock on his face. Following his gaze, Drakken only kept his own jaw from dropping because he instead had to groan.

Walking along the sidewalk seemingly without a care in the world was DNAmy. Trailing her were several curious children...and a pink elephant. A pink elephant wearing a diaper. Fighting down his normal reaction to things surreal, Drakken studied the animal with interest. He decided that the animal was naturally pink, and indeed just an elephant, not a hybrid. Why on Earth Amy would have created such a creature...Drakken shook his head to clear it as someone started honking their horn. Traffic was moving in the next lane over, but the man in front of him had now pulled out a cellphone. Drakken now leaned on his own horn to get the man moving. He succeeded, but not without receiving a rude gesture.

Drakken had already noticed a patrol car pulled over some distance behind the crazy geneticist, the two officers alternating between arguing with each other and with whoever they were speaking to on their radio, obviously about how to handle the latest weirdness to befall Middleton. As they both saw and recognized him driving past, they gave him sour looks. He turned his attention back to driving with a shrug. _"Amy lived here before I came, so the police can't blame me for her contribution to their everyday madness! And she did remember the diaper!"_

Still, he felt a slight twinge of guilt for just driving on without trying to help...but dealing with Amy could take all sorts of time, and he did not intend to be late for his wedding for any reason. He set his jaw and drove on...but couldn't get the idea that the sight he'd just witnessed might just symbolize something important...then he snorted. "Looking for portents, feh!" He muttered aloud, "Might as well be MacBeth, and go look for three witches!"

0000000000

The third encounter was in some ways the most sobering. After parking in the municipal parking lot that separated City Hall from the town's courthouse, Drakken headed for the front entrance to the latter, where he had arranged to meet Eileen. The courthouse was a good twenty years older then the current City Hall, which had replaced it's predecessor sometime in the late eighties. It was an imposing edifice of gray stone, with a broad flight of twenty stairs up to it's front entrance. And what he saw standing on those steps caused Drakken to miss a step.

Or rather, who. Two men that even Drakken, with his occasional fits of overlooking the obvious, could not have failed to identify as Federal Agents. Agents he suspected were waiting to speak to him. Avoiding them was impossible if he was to meet his bride-to-be here, and besides, he had no...well, little reason to be apprehensive just then. However, he couldn't help one little test.

He strolled quite casually up the stairs, being briefly scrutinized by both men without exciting their interest. Passing them, he ascended two more steps before turning around, a smirk flickering across his lips and vanishing before he addressed them with a straight face. "Gentlemen, may I help you? As Mayor, the activities of the Federal Government are of course of great interest to me."

One of the Agents turned and spoke politely. "It's nothing of importance, Mister Mayor, we are just here to—Gah!" His eyes popped wide as he took an involuntary step backwards, catching his heel on the edge of the step. If not for his partner's quick grab, he might have taken a nasty spill on the stone steps.

Struggling to keep a straight face, Drakken feigned concern. "Are you quite all right, Special Agent...?"

"Drakken! No, I mean...no, I'm Special Agent Curtis, you're Special Agent Drak...no, _I'm_ Special Agent..." His partner's words cut off Agent Curtis' babbling.

"I'm Special Agent Weaver, Mayor Lipsky, this is my partner, Special...already introduced!" Keeping an obvious tight control on his expression, he nodded to Drakken, "I'm afraid we failed to recognize you, with your..." He paused, conflicted as to how to finish his statement.

"Lack of color?" Drakken suggested helpfully, causing the man to flush slightly. Drakken smiled slightly. "Well, I _am_ surprised, it's not really a secret among Law Enforcement agencies that my coloring is based on my exposure to sunlight, or specifically the amount of exposure."

Weaver acknowledged Drakken's statement with a curt nod. "Yes, we were briefed about that, but it just slipped our minds, I'm afraid. Right now, we do need to speak with you about your cousin, Edward Lipsky, better known as 'Motor Ed'."

Drakken groaned inwardly, but maintained an expression of polite interest. "Really? Well, I spoke with other Agents about him just last week. In fact, I've spoken to officers of various agencies practically on a weekly basis. I even make sure there are pastries in my office when I expect them, and to date, none have gone uneaten."

Weaver's face twisted into a scowl, which deepened considerably when his partner whispered something in his ear. All Drakken caught was "I told you...". But Weaver chose to ignore his fellow agent and addressed Drakken.

"That may be so, Sir, but there's been a development, Ed Lipsky freed his gang from police custody yesterday evening."

Drakken's winced slightly. "Special Agent Weaver, can you at least tell me that they weren't liberated from a work detail outside the prison...again?"

Now Weaver truly looked embarrassed, but managed to answer in a steady voice, "The Warden saw no reason to block them from volunteering for the detail, they had been model prisoners since their initial arrest and incarceration."

"Well, at least you didn't included 'tracked down' in that statement," Drakken replied, "Since Slim Possible handed the whole bunch over to you gift-wrapped!" Drakken now noticed a limousine pulling into the curb at the bottom of the steps, but focused his attention on Weaver. "And before you ask, I haven't heard anything from my cousin in some weeks."

He barely paid attention to the chauffeur who ran around the front of the car to open the nearside door, as Agent Curtis spoke up to draw his attention. "We're actually wondering if you rendered any assistance to your 'cousin' in freeing his gang." Drakken noticed Weaver wincing even as he favored Curtis with a disbelieving stare.

"Firstly, why the 'air quotes' for cousin?" He asked, "Edward Lipsky _is_ my cousin, after all!" Curtis blinked in confusion for a moment as Drakken continued, "And what assistance would you credit to me? I'd be willing to guess exactly how it happened, since he has done it the same way at least twice before!" Just then he was distracted by the sight of his mother exiting the limo, but Weaver blocked his line of sight to the chauffeur But his mother's smile...he forced his attention back to the two Feds.

"He waited until evening, after the work detail had been out all day, and the guards were thinking about what they were going to do when they got off shift, and not as much about their jobs! If he used a diversion, it was a subtle one, so as not to put them on their guard. After all, isn't he known for being 'loud'?" Anne Possible had now emerged from the Limo, and was reaching back inside to assist Eileen. Drakken decided to cut this short. "Look, bottom line, he broke them out, _again,_ and he did it on his own, or perhaps with the help of one or two friends who weren't locked up! Now, I'm getting married, and my bride has just arrived, so if you have anything specific that applies to me, please ask it and be done!"

Both agents partially turned as they regarded the limo, and Drakken's jaw dropped, as he wished fervently that he'd kept on talking. When Weaver turned, Drakken had a clear view of the chauffeur. Clean-shaven, hair trimmed short, uniform immaculate, it was nevertheless Motor Ed Lipsky standing there holding the door as Eileen emerged from the vehicle.

His stomach knotted as the two agents' gazes swept over the bridal party. Surely, after the mistake with Drakken, they'd notice...then Agent Curtis opened his mouth, and firmly inserted his foot in it, granting Drakken's nerves an unexpected salvation. "Lovely bride, but what exactly does she see in you?" Curtis asked lightly.

Weaver's hands clenched into fists as his head snapped around to glare at his partner, who had already realized how poor his choice of words were. At least, the back of his neck had suddenly turned a bright shade of red, and he seemed to wilt considerably at Weaver's look. Then Weaver turned back to Drakken sharply, as his partner sheepishly followed suit.

"We have no further questions at this time, Mister Mayor," Weaver said, while keeping his eyes directed at his partner, "But you will notify us at once if your cousin contacts you, won't you?"

Drakken nodded, almost a little too vehemently. "Any future contact I may have with my cousin, I will report to you at once, Agent Weaver." He responded smoothly, rationalizing in his own head, that what was going on right now was 'present' contact, therefore he wasn't _exactly_ being untruthful!

Weaver shifted his gaze to Drakken, and after a moment's hesitation nodded his acceptance. "Thank You, Mister Mayor, we won't take up any more of your time."

He didn't take his partner's elbow as he turned to leave, but he might as well have from the way Curtis fell into step beside him as they walked stiffly down the steps and towards the parking lot.

Relief washed over Drakken so strongly he felt light-headed for a moment, but then he focused on Eileen, and his heart rate slowed notably as he sighed in contentment.

At which point James Possible, coming up unnoticed behind him, clapped him on the back with a hearty "You're such a lucky man..." and nearly launched him into orbit.

0000000000

The Askews arrived some ten minutes later. Mrs Askew was in a foul mood. Leaving her daughter for just a short time to go hurry her husband, she had returned to find a note on the door saying the others had all left in the limousine.

It was hard to tell how much of her displeasure was directed at her daughter for not waiting or her husband for the delay that caused her to miss the ride. She glowered at Shego and Bernie, who were standing next to Shego's car as Mr Askew pulled into the adjacent empty slot. She didn't say a word to either woman as she exited her vehicle, she just adjusted her purse and stalked off, not even waiting for her husband, who had not even set the brake yet.

As she vanished, Shego hurriedly moved to intercept Mr Askew as he got out of the car. She pulled a flat package enclosed in brown paper from behind her back as she approached him, holding it out as he regarded her warily. Then she leaned close and whispered something in his ear, then stood back. After a brief hesitation, he took the package.

As Shego led Bernie away, the nurse looked back to see Mr Askew tear open the wrapping and begin to examine what was inside. "What did you give him?" She asked Shego.

Shego smirked. "A copy of the HenchCo Summer Catalog." She replied.

Bernie cocked an eyebrow at her. "The one you modeled in, to pay off Hench?"

"The one _we_ modeled in, you mean!" Shego corrected her with a sly grin, "And in which Hench insisted on digitally restoring my former coloration!"

Looking back at Mr Askew, who looked quite pleased with what he'd found leafing through the catalog(And hoping vehemently it _was_ Shego's 'fashion' pics, and not the doomsday weapon section that brought a smile to his face!), Bernie replied "Hey! I only have a hand in one ad, modeling a ring, no one would recognize me from that!"

Still grinning, Shego feigned astonishment. "Oh? What about the background shot, where you wore..."

"Mention the 't' word and there will be bloodshed!" Bernie growled. "It was hard enough not to kill the guy modeling the product, I've never met such a self-absorbed ass!" Then she paused reflectively, "Outside of my brother Frank, maybe!" A suddenly self-conscious Mr Askew had now gone to the trunk of the rental car, and appeared to be secreting the catalog in his luggage, which drew a frown from Bernie. "Doesn't look like they're planning to stay long after the ceremony." She observed.

Shego's own brow furrowed, then she shrugged. "Who cares? Let's get inside fast, don't want to risk Grogan kicking off early!"

The security guard gave Shego a wary look as he directed her to Judge Grogan's chambers, and she couldn't resist tweaking him a bit. "Listen, if a short guy with a German accent shows up, no matter_ what_ he tells you, he's not on the guest list! It'll just be Professor Dementor trying to crash, probably with some fiendish device in his pocket."

"_Shego!" _Bernie hissed as she dragged her grinning friend away from the slack-jawed guard, "That really wasn't nice! Besides, what if he calls the FBI or someone, and they insist on providing security for the wedding?"

Shego waved her off as they entered the judge's chambers. She replied in a low voice. "So what? If the FBI has nothing better to do let them come, what's the...harm?" She did a double take at the tall figure in the chauffeur's uniform standing next to the door. "Oh, me and my _biiiggg_ mouth!" she muttered under her breath.

She sidled over next to Motor Ed and hissed "What are you doing here? I heard you got the boys off the road gang yesterday, shouldn't you be hiding out?"

He arched an eyebrow at her and whispered back, "And miss cousin Drew's wedding? Not on your life! Besides, no one recognizes me like this, anyway."

Shego studied him critically, then nodded. "You have a point, even I had to check twice...didn't you have most of your mullet grown back after I...um, torched it off?"

Ed didn't react to the reminder of the consequences the last time he'd ticked Shego off. "Yeah, I did...truthfully? I used to hate wearing a helmet over it, and not having it gives me an excuse to wear one, which I'm thinking these days is a good idea."

That piqued Shego's curiosity. "No argument there, but did something particular happen to make you think that way?" Bernie had drifted away to talk to the other women, and Shego noticed with some amusement James Possible fussing over Drakken, who seemed a little rattled.

"Well..." Ed hesitated, then leaned close to whisper in her ear, "Truth is, I came across some of my old papers, from when I was still trying to make an honest living? Well, I was reading them...and some of it was hard to sort out. I mean...I remembered it all eventually, but for a bit there, some of it didn't make sense!" He grimaced before finishing "I may have taken one too many knocks on the head, is what I'm thinking."

Shego nodded slowly. "You and Killigan both." She replied, "He's changing his ways, what about you?"

Motor Ed drew back, one hand on his chest, looking slightly offended. "The Motorman change his ways? Nah! Just going to play it a little safer, that's all!" Then he leaned close again. "Besides, you should see the kick-ass helmet I put together! Visor with HUD, thermal and low-light, comm hookups that the Feds would need a whole van to hold...and satellite radio, of course, got to have my road music!" He began to assume his 'air guitar' stance, only to have Mama Lipsky's head snap around to lock her eyes on him. He promptly snapped to attention briefly before relaxing _slightly._

Frugal Lucre, who's mother was also in attendance(At Mama Lipsky's invitation, the first time Drakken realized the two women even knew each other.), now strode in and headed for Drakken. "Judge just got here, should be up as soon as he changes out of his golf clothes!"

"Lets hope so," Drakken replied dryly, "If he tries to perform the ceremony still wearing them, my future Mother-in-Law will likely need medical attention!" He noticed that his future father-in-law was studying Shego in a way that was vaguely disturbing. Fortunately, the subject of his interest was busy talking to Ed, and didn't notice. Then Mrs Askew, eyes on Eileen, said something to her husband, and his head snapped around so sharply he winced even as he replied, face reddening slightly.

To be honest, Mrs Askew didn't look quite as severe as she usually did. There was a definite wistful look in her eyes. Drakken sighed quietly. _"Even when her daughter is marrying...me, it's still the same for a mother, I suppose." _He looked at Eileen himself, chatting happily with the other women, not looking the least bit nervous._ "She is, of course, but she's always good at hiding it." _This time when James' hand fell on his shoulder, he didn't even flinch. "Lucky, lucky man!" James said quietly, and Drew nodded in wholehearted agreement.

It was nearly ten minutes before Judge Grogan entered. By that time, Mrs Askew had thawed out enough to join in the chat, even saying something civil to Shego. Meanwhile, Frugal Lucre had somehow gotten into a deep conversation with Mister Askew, with Motor Ed listening in intently. Other then Bernie coming over to offer her best wishes, Drew and James had stood alone, discussing a few old times.

But then, even as the Judge came over to talk to Drew, Bob Chen ran in the door, out of breath. "Hold up a bit!" He gasped, "Ramesh is parking the car, he'll be right in!" Then he bent over slightly, hands on his knees, and tried to get his breath back as Bernie and Anne spoke to him.

Drakken blinked, then looked at James, but he seemed surprised, too. But then a big grin spread across his face. "Well, looks like we're reinstating an old tradition, not to miss each others' weddings!"

Drakken snorted, then grinned. "Which I broke, I believe?"

James nodded, then whispered "Wish I had had a good excuse to miss Bob's second wedding, that woman..." He broke off as Professor Ramesh came in, also slightly out of breath. Ramesh nodded to Drew, smiling sheepishly. Drew responded with a genuine smile for both his old college chums.

Judge Grogan now cleared his throat. "If you would all please take your places, and we'll begin." There being no seats for the wedding party, 'places' were basically improvised on the spot. Of course all three parents were at the front, as were the Possibles, acting as best man and matron of honor. Everyone else stood where they had the best view, or were most comfortable. Motor Ed was close to the door that lead to the courtrooms, reasoning that trouble if any would come through the other entrance.

Grogan looked at Drakken, who held one of Eileen's hands, the other clutching a bit tightly her bouquet. "When I first heard that we had a person of your particular vocation camping on Middleton's doorstep, I expected that you would one day stand before me..." Grogan began, causing Drakken to smile weakly, "And now you have, twice! But on neither occasion for reasons I could have imagined in my wildest dreams! The first time, to be sworn in as Mayor, has caused me no little apprehension, which I can honestly say has not completely passed as yet."

The Judge paused, gaze scanning the room, noting that his words were causing a bit of apprehension in the wedding party. "And now, the second time, I find myself about to unite you in Holy Matrimony with a lady I _assume_ is of sound mind..." He shifted his gaze to Eileen, who smiled nervously.

"Well, we are still waiting on the results of the last batch of tests..." Drakken commented, and got a light punch in the arm as a consequence, along with the satisfaction of seeing Eileen's smile brighten.

The corners of Grogan's lips twitched, and he nodded. "So be it." He then raised his voice, "We are gathered here today in front of these witnesses to unite these two people in the estate of marriage under the Laws of the Sovereign State of Colorado..."

James Possible did not forget the rings, there were plenty of handkerchiefs to handle all the tears,(Frugal producing a substantial number from his jacket pockets, bought at bargain prices, of course), and no one showed up to arrest Motor Ed and disrupt the proceedings.

In fact things went so smoothly that Drakken was almost afraid to say 'I do', fearing that would unleash all the accumulated bad karma he must have gained while behaving himself these past few months. That fear lasted about two seconds when he looked at his bride's face. "I Do."

The bouquet toss in fact was the only jarring note. The fact that neither Shego nor Bernie tried to catch it was not surprising. But the fact that Emma Lipsky and Mrs Lerman went after it like starving cats after meat left looks of shock on both of their sons' faces. Mrs Lipsky's next words came close to making Eileen a widow, after she lost out to her opponent. "All I can say is, don't wait too long, hon."

"Don't worry about that!" Mrs Lerman quickly assured her. Bernie abruptly found her arms full of a limp Frugal Lucre. "Smelling Salts in his right inside pocket, dear." his mother informed her.

"That reminds me," James Possible remarked, "We didn't have a bachelor party!"

"Nor a Bridal Shower, and too late to worry about either now, Dear." His wife responded with a smile. Then she looked at Eileen, "But don't expect to get out of a baby shower, Mrs Lipsky!"

"Oh, that sounds nice..." Drew and Eileen said in unison.

"Jinx! You owe me a grandson!" Emma Lipsky crowed.

"Mother!"

Mrs Askew hugged Eileen tightly. "Oh, I wish we could stay longer!" She said tightly as she wiped tears from her eyes. "But you did spring this on us so suddenly..."

"I know Mom, don't worry." Eileen replied with a gentle smile, "You and Dad have a nice cruise, and don't let him get too much sun." That drew a snort from Mr Askew, but then he smiled and embraced his daughter, whispering something in her ear that made her nod, smiling widely. He then shook hands with Drakken, who was rubbing his shoulder after a series of progressively more vigorous backslaps, culminating in Motor Ed's. The big man then whispered something in his cousin's ear, drawing a nod of understanding.

Judge Grogan offered Drakken his hand, and Drew shook it. "Congratulations, Mayor Lipsky, you have a beautiful bride! But I think one member of your family had best make himself scarce, I may be old, but I'm not blind, and I'm quite sure something about his face is jogging my memory." As Ed backed casually away, the Judge continued. "Now, I'd really appreciate it if you took the wedding party elsewhere, I have a little work to catch up on, if you don't mind."

"Of course, Your Honor." Drakken replied, though before leaving Eileen planted a kiss on Grogan's cheek that actually made him blush.

There were reporters outside, mostly the society reporters from the local newspapers, but Denise Doughty was standing by her news van, looking vaguely disappointed that no weirdness had happened. She also failed to recognize Motor Ed, even when he made a pass at her. And got shot down in flames.

After some last handshakes with James, Chen, and Ramesh, and with Eileen waiting in his car, Drakken had a private moment with Shego.

At first, neither could figure how to start, but finally Shego got the first word in. "Kinda weird here, Doc, not sure how I'm feeling right now. We definitely just closed a door behind us, didn't we?"

Drakken smiled wistfully. "Yes, I think we have. As far as not going back, that is, not sure all of our past has been laid to rest, mind you." He looked at his new bride and sighed. "Hopefully though none of it will ever come back to truly haunt us in the future. But as to ever returning to my old profession..."

"Doc, let me be straight here." Shego said seriously, "If you were ever to go back to being a real supervillain, and hurt Eileen, _I _might actually end up heading the line to kick your butt!" Then she gave Drakken a quick kiss on the cheek. "Now go on, start enjoying married life!"

Drakken nodded, but took both of her hands in his first. "Thank You, Shego, for sticking with me...for longer then a day, that was a surprise! But all this time, it's more like a miracle! I could not have made it here without you, just to state the obvious!"

"Same back at you, Doc." Shego responded, eyes glistening. "Now, GO! You're ruining my tough-girl image, _and_ keeping Eileen waiting in a hot car!"

Drakken nodded, gave her hands a squeeze, then turned and practically skipped to the door of his car. He and Eileen shared a long kiss before starting up and pulling away. As they pulled on to the street, Drakken suddenly muttered a curse under his breath. "Blast, I never got around to asking James and Anne about their first meeting! Oh, well, it can wait, I suppose..."

Bernie came up alongside Shego. "You Okay?"

Shego took a moment to respond. "You know, I have lived the most chaotic life I can imagine, but I don't think I really handle change well. I usually deal with it by..." She trailed off and shook her head. "Forget it, I need a vacation from not working!" She turned to her friend. "Listen, I have a way to square things with a few Asian countries, to get me off their wanted lists. It shouldn't be dangerous, want to come along?"

Bernie eyed her warily for a moment. "How often are you right when you predict things won't be dangerous?" That caused Shego to grin widely. "Thought so...well, _after _you handle that Open Lair situation on Tuesday, I'll think about it."

Shego's grin vanished and she groaned. "Oh, Snap! I forgot about that, thanks so much for the reminder..." Then her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "You know, there might just be a way to do this and be back by Tuesday."

Bernie snorted. "The way air travel is these days? We'd spend more time in customs..oh, wait, you have your own jet!" Then she frowned. "But even with it, the travel time..."

"Nah, wasn't thinking of my jet, I have a new way to travel, we can get this done faster then you can imagine!" Shego responded enthusiastically as she put her arm around Bernie's shoulders and began to steer her towards Shego's car.

"Really?" Bernie asked, curiosity and suspicion warring in her voice.

"Really!" Shego assured her. Then she gave a slight shrug. "Of course, still have to learn all the controls..."

"Excuse me?"

"Well, it's a new plane! Got to get a feel for it!" Shego replied confidently, "And besides, Doctor D wants me to get it out of the lair before the Open Lair anyway, so why not try it out?"

"Shego..."

"Come on, it'll be fun!"

"FLW."

"Huh?"

"Famous Last Words..."

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Ran down a bit there. This might be the last chapter for this story. Was planning to go on with Kim chaperoning her brothers' first 'non-dates', and might still write that chapter, have to think about it. Took so long to get this one done, and I sort of ran down there at the end.

Anyway, please read and review.


End file.
